Jeffrey Epstein's ex-NY cop cellmate gets 4 life sentences for quadruple murder

The name Jeffry Epstein is in the news once again, this time for the sentencing of his cell mate, a former New York cop who was found guilty of a quadruple murder.

Nicholas Tartaglione, 56, was the onetime bunkmate of the infamous financier was sentenced to lifetime (or four) behind bars following the 2016 killing of four men, according to The New York Post.

The judge in his case asserted that the former cop cared more about animals than he did his four victims.

About the sentencing

Tartaglione was found guilty of kidnapping and murdering Martin Luna, 41, Luna’s nephews Urbano Santiago, 35, Miguel Luna, 25, and close family friend Hector Gutierrez, 43.

According to federal authorities, he then buried them in shallow graves on his own land between the years of 2016 and 2017.

In the course of the sentence process, United States District Judge Kenneth Karas referred to Tartaglione as a "monster" who lacked any regard for his actions.

The Defense

After his defense team listed their client's efforts to save cats, dogs, pigs, skunks, and horses, Karas also criticized the former Briarcliff Manor cop for caring "more about animals than the victims," according to The Journal News.

“Nicholas Tartaglione brutally and senselessly murdered Martin Luna over money, and then ruthlessly executed Urbano Santiago, Miguel Luna, and Hector Gutierrez simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time,” US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said in a statement.

While there's a strong argument to be made that there is no good reason to kill four people and bury them on your property, it's likely that Tartaglione at least felt like have had a good reason at the time.

The Killings

According to the Post's report, the former cop killed Martin Luna because he believed the man had stolen $250,000 from him that was supposed to go toward buying cocaine.

The premeditated nature of the crime was a bit alarming, however. The convicted murderer reportedly lured Luna to a bar where he then confronted him, restrained him, and beat him for more than an hour before strangling him with a zip tie.

While the end result was the same, the other three had a more peaceful passing, being shot once in the back of the head because they were with Luna when he had his running with Tartaglione, and witnessed the murder, according to the prosecution.

Subsequently, all four victims were interred in a mass burial located in a remote area of his property until they were discovered eight months later.