3rd man arrested in death after party at ritzy NYC apartment

Tuesday, December 6, 2016
3rd man charged in connection with murder at UES apartment
Darla Miles has the latest details.

NEW YORK -- A third person has been arrested in connection with the stabbing death of a Connecticut man who vanished last month after a party at a luxury New York City apartment.

The New York Police Department said Tuesday that 29-year-old Max Gemma, of Oceanport, New Jersey, has been arrested on charges of hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence.

See video of him walking out of the police precinct here:

Watch as 29-year-old Max Gemma walks out of the police precinct after turning himself in.

At his arraignment Tuesday, Gemma pleaded not guilty. His lawyer says there is no evidence or witness testimony to support the charges.

Investigators have been working to determine who killed 26-year-old Joseph Comunale, of Stamford, Connecticut. His body was found in a shallow grave in Oceanport, New Jersey, more than 55 miles away, a few days after he disappeared.

1 of 20

Two other men, James Rackover and Lawrence Dilione, previously were charged with concealment of a human body, hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence.

Rackover and Dilione are being held on $3 million bail.

Police said Comunale came to Manhattan November 12 and went out to a nightclub. He later went to a party at Rackover's Upper East Side apartment, and that's where he was last seen alive.

Detectives said they believe an argument escalated in that apartment, leading someone to kill Comunale.

----

WABC and AP contributed to this report.