Rare Book Monthly

Articles - June - 2016 Issue

Long Prison Sentences Issued in Killing of Comic Book Collector

Scene of the crime – Homer Marciniak's home in Medina, New York.

Scene of the crime – Homer Marciniak's home in Medina, New York.

The two key players in the crime that led to the killing of a comic book collector have been sentenced to prison terms of 20 years for their role in the case. Mastermind Rico Vendetti, 45, of Rochester, New York, was convicted of racketeering. Donald Griffin, 28, also of Rochester, was convicted of committing murder in aid of racketeering. Earlier, Arlene Combs, who was the go-between for Vendetti and Griffin, was also sentenced to 20 years for racketeering.

 

The scheme that ended in the death of 78-year-old Homer Marciniak of rural Medina, New York, began back in 2005 with petty thefts. Vendetti, who operated a tavern in the Rochester area, put together a ring of shoplifters. They hit numerous large stores, such as Walmart, Target, Sears, Home Depot, and JoAnn Fabrics. What they stole was not expensive merchandise, but mostly ordinary items in large quantities. According to the U.S. Attorney for Western New York, those items included "breast pumps, Crest Whitestrips, cross stitch and needlepoint kits, electric toothbrushes and replacement heads, computer memory sticks and flash drives, pet supplements and DNA tests for pets, razors, razor blades and replacement razor heads, tool sets, vacuum cleaners, binoculars, batteries, plumbing fixtures and KitchenAid mixers." Vendetti paid his shoplifters 25 cents on the dollar for what they stole, and then sold it for 50 cents on the dollar, primarily through eBay or similar places. Over $700,000 worth of merchandise was sold this way, making one wonder how they were able to get away with so much shoplifting for so long without being caught.

 

In 2010, Vendetti stepped up his plans. He became aware that Marciniak, a retired janitor of modest means, had a valuable comic book collection. He had been collecting comics since he was a boy, with the result that some were very old and quite valuable. Vendetti got Combs to assemble a crew of three thieves to break into Marciniak's home and steal his comic book collection. Each was to be paid $1,000 for their efforts.

 

The three, Griffin, Albert Parsons, and Juan Javier, cut Marciniak's phone line and broke into his home in the early morning hours of July 4, 2010. Unfortunately, Marciniak awoke and confronted the thieves. Griffin responded by punching Marciniak in the face, and he and Javier then tied the homeowner up with bed sheets. Javier also threatened him while holding a BB gun. The three burglars then located the comic book collection, which they took, delivered to Combs, who then delivered it to Vendetti.

 

Marciniak was able to free himself after they left and obtain help. He was taken to the hospital where he was treated for his injuries. He was then released, but later that day, suffered a massive heart attack. Marciniak already suffered from a serious heart condition. He was readmitted to the hospital that afternoon, but died a short time later. Medical experts concluded that the trauma of the event, and the blow to his face, directly contributed to Marciniak's heart attack and death later that day.

 

Vendetti professed great sorrow and remorse at sentencing, but evidently, the Judge was not impressed. He described Vendetti as a "Darth Vader" type, with no good qualities. Vendetti, Griffin, and Combs will all begin serving their 20-year sentences. Javier, who was only 17 at the time, was sentenced to seven years. Two others, who also participated with Vendetti in racketeering and conspiring to sell stolen merchandise, were sentenced to terms of 46 and 55 months, and another to time served. Only Parsons has yet to be sentenced, with his sentencing due this month.

Rare Book Monthly

  • Forum AuctionsFine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper  17th July 2025 Forum AuctionsFine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper  17th July 2025
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    17th July 2025
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    17th July 2025
    Forum, July 17: Lucianus Samosatensis. Dialogoi, editio princeps, second issue, Florence, Laurentius Francisci de Alopa, 1496. £10,000 to £15,000.
    Forum, July 17: Boccaccio (Giovanni). Il Decamerone, Florence, Philippo di Giunta, 1516. £10,000 to £15,000.
    Forum, July 17: Henry VII (King) & Philip the Fair (Duke of Burgundy). [Intercursus Magnus], [Commercial and Political Treaty between Henry VII and Philip Duke of Burgundy], manuscript copy in Latin, original vellum, 1499. £8,000 to £12,000.
    Forum, July 17: Bible, English. The Holy Bible, Conteyning the Old Testament, and the New, Robert Barker, 1613. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum, July 17: Bond (Michael). A Bear Called Paddington, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author, 1958. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum Auctions
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    17th July 2025
    Forum, July 17: Yeats (William Butler). The Secret Rose, first edition, with extensive autograph corrections, additions and amendments by the author for a new edition, 1897. £6,000 to £8,000.
    Forum, July 17: Byron (George Gordon Noel, Lord). Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, bound in dark green morocco elaborately tooled in gilt and with 3 watercolours to fore-edge, by Fazakerley of Liverpool, 1841. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum, July 17: Miró (Juan), Wassily Kandinsky, John Buckland-Wright, Stanley William Hayter and others.- Spender (Stephen). Fraternity, one of 101 copies, with signed engravings by 9 artists. £6,000 to £8,000.
    Forum, July 17: Sowerby (George Brettingham). Album comprising 22 leaves of original watercolour drawings of fossil remains of Cheltenham and Vicinity, [c.1840]. £6,000 to £8,000.
    Forum, July 17: Mathematics.- Blue paper copy.- Euclid. De gli Elementi, Urbino, Appresso Domenico Frisolino, 1575. £12,000 to £18,000.
  • Sotheby’sBooks, Manuscripts and Music from Medieval to ModernNow through July 10, 2025 Sotheby’sBooks, Manuscripts and Music from Medieval to ModernNow through July 10, 2025
    Sotheby’s
    Books, Manuscripts and Music from Medieval to Modern
    Now through July 10, 2025
    Sotheby’s
    Books, Manuscripts and Music from Medieval to Modern
    Now through July 10, 2025
    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: Book of Hours by the Masters of Otto van Moerdrecht, Use of Sarum, in Latin, Southern Netherlands (Bruges), c.1450. £20,000 to £30,000.
    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: Albert Einstein. Autograph letter signed, to Attilio Palatino, on his research into General Relativity, 12 May 1929. £12,000 to £18,000.
    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: John Gould. The Birds of Europe, [1832-] 1837, 5 volumes, contemporary half morocco, subscriber’s copy. £40,000 to £60,000.
    Sotheby’s
    Books, Manuscripts and Music from Medieval to Modern
    Now through July 10, 2025
    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: Ian Fleming. A collection of James Bond first editions, 8 volumes in all. £8,000 to £12,000.
    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, first edition, hardback issue. £50,000 to £70,000.
    Sotheby’s, Ending July 10: J.R.R. Tolkien. Autograph letter signed, to Amy Ronald, on Pauline Baynes's map of Middle Earth, 1970. £7,000 to £10,000.
  • Rare Book Hub is now mobile-friendly! Rare Book Hub is now mobile-friendly!
    Rare Book Hub is now mobile-friendly!
    Rare Book Hub is now mobile-friendly!
  • DOYLERare Books, Autographs & MapsJuly 23, 2025 DOYLERare Books, Autographs & MapsJuly 23, 2025
    DOYLE
    Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
    July 23, 2025
    DOYLE
    Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
    July 23, 2025
    DOYLE, July 23: WALL, BERNHARDT. Greenwich Village. Types, Tenements & Temples. Estimate $300-500
    DOYLE, July 23: STOKES, I. N. PHELPS. The Iconography of Manhattan Island, 1498-1909. New York: Robert H. Dodd, 1915-28. Estimate: $3,000-5,000
    DOYLE, July 23: [AUTOGRAPH - US PRESIDENT]FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. A signed photograph of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Estimate $500-800
    DOYLE, July 23: [ARION PRESS]. ABBOTT, EDWIN A. Flatland. A Romance of Many Dimensions. San Francisco, 1980. Estimate $2,000-3,000.
    DOYLE, July 23: TOLSTOY, LYOF N. and NATHAN HASKELL DOLE, translator. Anna Karénina ... in eight parts. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell & Co., [1886]. Estimate: $400-600
    DOYLE, July 23: ROWLING, J.K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. London: Bloomsbury, 2000. Estimate $1,200-1,800
  • Freeman’s | HindmanWestern Manuscripts and MiniaturesJuly 8, 2025 Freeman’s | HindmanWestern Manuscripts and MiniaturesJuly 8, 2025
    Freeman’s | Hindman
    Western Manuscripts and Miniatures
    July 8, 2025
    Freeman’s | Hindman
    Western Manuscripts and Miniatures
    July 8, 2025
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. FRANCESCO PETRARCH (b. Arezzo, 20 July 1304; d. Arqua Petrarca, 19 July 1374). $20,000-30,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. CIRCLE OF THE MASTER OF THE VITAE IMPERATORUM (active Milan, 1431-1459). $15,000-20,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. CIRCLE OF ATTAVANTE DEGLI ATTAVANTI (GABRIELLO DI VANTE) (active Florence, c. 1452-c. 1520/25). $15,000-20,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. FOLLOWER OF HERMAN SCHEERE (active London, c. 1405-1425). $15,000-20,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. An exceptionally rare, illuminated music leaf from a Mozarabic Antiphonal with sister leaves mostly in museum collections. $11,500-14,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. Exceptional leaf from a prestigious Antiphonary by a leading illuminator of the late Duecento. $11,500-14,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. CIRCLE OF THE MASTER OF MS REID 33 and SELWERD ABBEY SCRIPTORIUM (AGNES MARTINI?) (active The Netherlands, Groningen, c. 1468-1510). $10,000-15,000.
    Freeman’s | Hindman, July 8. Previously unknown illumination from one of the most renowned Gothic Choir Book sets of the Middle Ages. $6,000-8,000.

Article Search

Archived Articles