Man Offers Judge $100,000.00 to Sway Grand Jury Murder Inquiry

Warrant: Man Tried To Bribe Judge In Cold Case Murder Investigation
The Hartford Courant by Samaia Hernandez  -  April 18, 2012

Dominic Badaracco offered a judge $100,000 to sway a grand jury investigation into his wife's disappearance in one of the state's most notorious cold cases, according to a warrant for his arrest.  Charged with offering an illegal gift and bribery, Badaracco, 76, of 25 Wakeman Hill Road in Sherman surrendered to state police in Southbury on Wednesday afternoon. He was released after posting $150,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned at Superior Court in New Britain on April 25.  Badaracco was considered a suspect in a 14-month probe into the disappearance and presumed homicide of his wife, Mary Edna Badaracco, 38. Her daughters reported her missing in late August 1984. She hasn't been seen since.  Dominic Badaracco was never charged, and has denied any knowledge of what happened to his former wife. Earlier this month, a one-judge grand jury completed an 18-month investigation into the case without returning an indictment.  On Nov. 18, 2010 — two months after the grand jury began hearing evidence in the case — a Superior Court judge in New Britain told inspectors with the Chief State's Attorney's Office that he had been offered $100,000 from Badaracco, an acquaintance, to influence the investigation, according to the warrant.  Judge Robert C. Brunetti said he received a telephone call from Badaracco, who offered him the money, according to the warrant.  "I'm only gonna say this one time … It's worth a hundred G's," Badaracco said in a phone call on the morning of Nov. 17, 2010, according to the warrant. He withdrew more than $100,000 from retirement accounts at Webster Bank two days before the call, the warrant says.  Brunetti said he had last seen Badaracco five years earlier.  Brunetti told investigators that he used to play golf with Badaracco and a business partner and had represented him in legal matters regarding Richter & Badaracco Siding Company of Danbury, of which Badaracco was formerly a partner with Ronald Richter.  Brunetti said Richter phoned him multiple times in September 2010 inquiring about a grand jury investigation. Brunetti and Richter exchanged several calls in October 2010, the warrant states. The first, on Oct. 6 was placed from the judge's cellphone to Richter's business line. Records also show that Richter called the judge from his home phone the day of a grand jury session.  After the November call from Badaracco, Brunetti called Richter on Dec. 2, 2010, in a conversation set up and recorded by inspectors, and Richter passed the phone to Dominic Badaracco, the warrant says.  "There may be somethin' I can do for you. I wasn't sure I could, but there may be somethin' I can do, to help you out," the judge said.  "OK," Badaracco replied.  They scheduled a meeting for the next day at a Burlington shopping center, but Richter called to cancel and the meeting never took place, the warrant says.  In February, police served a search-and-seizure warrant at the home Badaracco once shared with his wife.  After Mary Badaracco disappeared, Dominic Badaracco told police his wife stole $100,000 to $250,000 from him in August 1984, just days before she vanished.  When police went to their Wakeman Hill Road home to investigate, they found that the windshield had been smashed on her car, which was parked in the garage, police said. Her wedding ring and car keys also were found, though clothing, pictures and other items had vanished.  The case was upgraded to a homicide six years after she was reported missing.  Sherri Passaro, Mary Badaracco's daughter from a previous marriage, said her family was relieved that Dominic Badaracco had been arrested.  "Obviously, we're very happy, but also emotionally nervous because nothing like this has ever happened," Passaro said. She and her sister had initially reported that their mother was missing.  "It's taken so long. We're consciously optimistic that it's going to go forward."  smhernandez@courant.com