Prosecutor says murder suspect “staged” scene to disguise true cause of death

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Defense attorney Anthony DeFazio on right at table with his client, William Dicke.

POUGHKEEPSIE – The murder trial of 43-year-old William Dicke began on Monday before Dutchess County Court Judge Jessica Segal.  Dicke is accused of running over his 35-year-old girlfriend, Danielle DiStefano, in her driveway on January 21, 2022, and then dragging her into her Mill Road apartment in Rhinebeck.

On Monday, Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office Deputy Bureau Chief Angela Lopane told jurors that Dicke and DiStefano were arguing and the defendant physically removed her from his van, before he returned to the driver seat.

The prosecutor said that Dicke knew that the intoxicated victim was trying to re-enter the van when he drove off.  DiStefano allegedly fell to the ground as he pulled away and he drove over her, injuring her, including breaking her pelvis. Dicke then approached the victim who indicated she could not walk, and he placed her in her apartment, with no access to a phone.  The prosecutor then told jurors that he placed the incapacitated woman on the kitchen floor, pulled her pants down and her shirt up, in an effort to disguise the true cause of her injuries.

Defense attorney Anthony DeFazio followed with his opening remarks in defense of his client and told jurors that it is their duty to refrain from making decisions of guilt or innocence until all of the evidence has been presented.  He also warned the jury to be wary of the testimony of the prosecution’s main witness, Ronald Cagliostro.  The witness is the owner of Fully Loaded Performance, an auto repair business on Route 9G in Germantown and DeFazio said, “He’s got some issues,” telling jurors that he has changed his story.  The attorney also said prosecutors “Don’t have a case without him.”

Dicke is said to have returned to her apartment 12 hours later and called 911, telling the dispatcher “I’m in my girlfriend’s apartment and I think she’s dead.”

New York State Troopers arrived on the scene and interviewed Dicke, who was on the phone and drinking what the prosecution’s first witness, Trooper Miller said was a “White Claw,” which is a hard seltzer.

Excerpts of body-worn camera footage from Miller and other troopers show their interactions with Dicke who remained at the scene awaiting the arrival of his sister.  The defendant told police that when he dropped her off at 11:45 p.m. the night before, DiStefano was “drunk and stumbling.”  Dicke was subsequently arrested and charged with murder.  He was arraigned and remanded to the Dutchess County Jail where he remains.

 




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