SOMERVILLE, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- A father and son were arrested in connection with the murder of a man whose body was found behind a Norwood middle school.
Last month, 66-year-old Vincent Lalli's dismembered body was discovered in plastic trash bags behind the school. Both of Lalli's roommates, a father and son, are facing charges in the case, and according to a police report, this murder may have all been about money and lottery tickets.
Tony Canejo, Sr., 52, is a convicted Level 3 sex offender. He and his 30-year-old son are accused in this brutal and gruesome murder case. According to a police report, Canejo Sr. killed Lalli, first hitting him with a crow bar in Lalli's bedroom and then strangling him with bare hands on Jan. 24.
Lalli, Canejo Sr. and Canejo's son, Tony, were all roommates in a first floor apartment in a Sycamore Street building. The report states that early on Friday, Jan. 23, the day before the murder, a witness gave Lalli nearly $8,000, money owed on a lottery ticket Lalli won.
Lalli turned around and bought two books of scratch tickets, and still had $6400 on him. Police say they never recovered any of the cash, and that shortly after the murder, Canejo Sr. and his son were recorded on video cashing in some winning scratch tickets.
Also, according to the report, hours after the murder, Canejo Sr. borrowed his sister's Kia Soul, and had access to her apartment, which is located on Fairview Terrace, just a few blocks away from the men's Somerville apartment.
The Sunday after the murder, the report says Canejo Sr's son picked him up from the house in his tow truck, which was towing a damaged car to Rhode Island. Canejo Sr. walked to the tow truck from the back of his sister's house carrying two suitcases and trash bags. He allegedly placed the trash bags down in the trunk of the damaged car, and placed the suitcases on top. He then drove, with his son, to Rhode Island to deliver the damaged car, but first stopped in Norwood at the Coakley Middle School to get rid of the suitcases and the trash bags. Video surveillance at the school, allegedly shows the tow truck, towing the damaged car.
Lalli's dismembered remains were found in several plastic bags. Two blood soaked suitcases and a blood drenched towel were also found at the scene.
Lalli's fingerprints were used to identify the remains. On Thursday, police searched the sister's apartment, the basement, a shed, and her car. According to the report, cadaver dogs picked up the scent of human remains in a basement crawl space. Red brown stains testing positive for human blood were found in the basement, and in the sister's bathtub.
At the house Friday, the sister's Kia Soul was still parked out front. She came to the door for FOX 25 Reporter Bob Ward and said she didn't know what happened.
"I don't know what happened, my brother didn't do anything wrong. I'm being punished," she said.
Canejo Sr. is charged with armed assault to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. His son is charged with being an accessory to both crimes.
They were arraigned separately in Somerville District Court. Canejo, Sr. was held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled Feb. 21. Canejo Jr. was held without bail due to the crimes and a probation violation and will appear next in court on March 28.
Cox Media Group
