PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — Nearly a month after two men were found shot and killed inside a rural Punta Gorda home, Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell announced the suspected hired killer is now behind bars.
Justin Robert Casagranda is facing two counts of second-degree murder in connection to the deaths of 47-year-old Mario Schiano and 44-year-old Anthony Galeotti.
Schiano’s wife, Kelly, and Everett Harper were already facing charges with conspiring to commit first-degree murder.
“As I expressed previously, the motive for this is based around drugs and money,” Prummell said in a recorded video statement on Friday.
“Casagranda is the final piece of the puzzle to charge all those that were involved,” said Prummell.
Casagranda was described as a longtime friend of the Schiano family, who lived with them until around two years ago, when he moved to Athens, GA.
“Detectives learned that Casagranda traveled from Athens to Punta Gorda and were able to place him at the scene of the time of the shootings,” said Prummell.
Detectives in Athens-Clark County, GA searched Casagranda’s home and charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Prummell.
The Sheriff said Casagranda will be extradited soon to Charlotte County.
