Tucker Cipriano

Case record: Tucker Cipriano

Background

Tucker Cipriano was the oldest son in the Cipriano family and was adopted when he was four days old. He was 19 at the time of the attack and later entered court as 20-year-old. He struggled to fit in and later attended treatment brought on by Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and a learning disability.

His mother, Rose Cipriano, was 51. His father, Robert Cipriano, was 52 and worked as a public school administrator at Dearborn Public Schools. Tucker also had siblings including Salvatore Cipriano, who was 17 (and later described as 18 in later reporting), Tanner Cipriano, who was 17, and Isabella Cipriano, who was 8 (described as 8-year-old).

Tucker became involved with drugs and alcohol and began getting into trouble. Rose attended substance abuse classes to learn more about his condition.

The offence

On April 16, 2012, two intruders broke into the Cipriano home in Farmington Hills. They beat Robert Cipriano with a baseball bat. They also attacked Rose and Salvatore Cipriano. Isabella watched the attack as it unfolded.

Robert Cipriano died after being beaten about the head and described as drowned in his own blood. Rose suffered life-threatening injuries and was treated and later released to rehabilitation. Salvatore survived but remained hospitalized and was described as critically injured, with severe head injuries.

Mitchell “Roderick” Young and Tucker Cipriano were involved in the home invasion and beatings. Prosecutors alleged the motive was robbery and described the assailants as not planning to leave witnesses behind. Witness testimony described the planning as connected to getting money for drugs and a plan to flee.

Investigation

In preliminary proceedings and related testimony, forensic and medical evidence was presented.

A deputy forensic pathologist, Ruben Ortiz-Reyes, described graphic details from Robert Cipriano’s autopsy in court during a preliminary examination. Ortiz-Reyes testified that Robert Cipriano had received blows all about his head and that his left ear was shredded. Ortiz-Reyes testified that he believed the damage to the ear could have been created by a baseball bat. The autopsy testimony described severe lacerations, skull fracture, hemorrhaging, and bones broken in small pieces. Ortiz-Reyes and court testimony included that Robert Cipriano “drowned in his own blood,” with blood moving into the lungs.

Toxicology testimony indicated that Robert Cipriano had no drugs in his system and no natural disease.

Farmington Hills Police Detective Richard Wehby testified that he walked into Robert Cipriano’s home on April 16, and saw blood on the walls, stairwells, kitchen cabinets, floors and even the ceiling. Wehby described Robert lying dead on the kitchen floor. Wehby described Rose as covered in blood and described her swollen face and swelling around the eye, and that she wore a neck stabilizer and had her head bandaged. Wehby described Salvatore as covered in blood “from head to toe,” and that doctors shaved his scalp to insert a drain in his head. Wehby described hemorrhaging in the brain.

Wehby testified that it was “not a clean, precise scene,” and that the family dog had walked around the area, leaving footprints in the blood.

Assistant Prosecutor John Skrzynski described injuries as “storm of blows” and testified that the cause was homicide. Skrzynski also testified in preliminary proceedings that those kind of injuries show intent to kill.

Arrest

Farmington Hills police received a call from Tanner Cipriano. When police arrived, Isabella let the officers in. Young came downstairs and was handcuffed. Robert was found later lying in the kitchen in a pool of blood.

Tucker fled during the immediate aftermath. Tucker was arrested in Keego Harbor after police surveillance.

Ian Zinderman testified in court in the case proceedings and described planned actions and later events related to the vehicle and subsequent police arrests.

Charges and procedural history

Tucker Cipriano and Mitchell Young were charged with several counts that included first-degree premeditated murder and first-degree felony murder in the death of Robert Cipriano. They were also charged with two counts of assault with intent to murder for the beatings of Rose Cipriano and Salvatore Cipriano, as well as one count of armed robbery.

Tucker also pleaded no contest to first-degree murder days before his jury trial was set to begin.

Mitchell Young was found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder and other crimes related to the home invasion and beating of Rose and Salvatore Cipriano in late June.

Trial

A preliminary examination included testimony about injuries, evidence, and statements attributed to Tucker Cipriano.

Farmington Hills Police Detective Jason McDonald testified that he interviewed Tucker Cipriano after his arrest at the police department around 10 a.m. April 16. McDonald testified that Tucker offered several versions about what transpired before Robert Cipriano’s slaying and Rose and Salvatore’s beatings. McDonald testified that Tucker said he smoked Spice but that he hadn’t smoked it that night. McDonald testified that Tucker denied having any alcohol and at first denied entering the house. After learning that Isabella and Tanner reported seeing Tucker in the house, Tucker admitted he had entered.

McDonald testified that Tucker said the dog bit him, and that Tucker said he broke into the house with Young for money and to steal anything valuable, entering through a window. McDonald testified that Tucker said Robert confronted the two men and told them to leave. McDonald testified that Tucker said Roderick was hiding in a coat rack. McDonald testified that Tucker told him that Roderick hit Robert with the baseball bat found in the garage and that when asked how often he said, “A lot.” McDonald testified that Tucker said Roderick hit Robert even after Robert had fallen to the floor.

McDonald testified that when Rose came into the kitchen, Tucker told police she had a “stupid look” on her face. McDonald testified that Tucker told him that Roderick hit Rose with the bat and chased her to the living room.

McDonald testified that when Isabella came downstairs, Tucker told police he took her back to her upstairs bedroom pleading with her to stay there. McDonald testified that Tucker’s account included Isabella saying: “I thought you loved me.” McDonald testified that Tucker told police that he told her he did love her and to stay in her room.

McDonald testified that Salvatore was taking a BB gun from a gun case, according to Tucker’s statement. McDonald testified that Tucker and Salvatore fought and Tucker said he “hit Sal a few times on his shoulder and arm” and that Sal ran downstairs. McDonald testified that Tucker said the gun broke. McDonald testified that Tucker said that later on the main floor Tucker and Salvatore fought again in the hallway. McDonald testified that Tucker said he hit Salvatore with a bat one or two times, and that Tucker told him he heard Salvatore making “gurgling sounds.”

McDonald testified that Tucker told him that Tucker then went into the bathroom and vomited. McDonald testified that Tucker alerted Roderick that Tanner was hiding in the house and that Tanner’s bedroom was on the first floor. McDonald testified that one or both Tucker and Roderick looked for Tanner, who was hiding, in the darkened house using a lighter.

McDonald testified that police arrived and Tucker told police that Tucker saw the flashing lights and ran out the back door and drove away in Young’s truck, leaving Young behind in the house.

McDonald testified that Tucker told police that the severely injured Rose and Salvatore were dragged toward the basement “so the cops wouldn’t see them.” McDonald testified that Isabella had opened the door for police. McDonald testified that the pair took gloves to the scene and that they had taken gloves from a Henry Ford doctor’s office. McDonald testified that Tucker told police after the crime that the gloves were “gone.”

In preliminary proceedings, defense counsel Mitchel Ribitwer asked Detective Wehby about Tucker and Rose Cipriano. Ribitwer testified that Tucker denied assaulting his mother and denied assaulting his father and said he just held him during the assault.

Ribitwer and defense counsel Michael McCarthy disputed the evidence presented for criminal action.

The case also included testimony by Ian Zinderman. Zinderman called himself Tucker Cipriano’s “best friend” and described planning before the attack and described a division of roles in which Young was supposed to go after the mom and the dad, and Young was supposed to go for the sister. Zinderman described that Tucker loved his sister.

In the trial and related proceedings, evidence was presented regarding blood splatter found on Young’s pants and the lack of Robert Cipriano blood on Tucker’s pants later recovered after his arrest in Keego Harbor. A prosecutor argued that Tucker did not beat Robert Cipriano, but instead Mitchell Young did.

The defense for Young included statements that Young was struck during the attack, that he maintained innocence, and that his attorney failed to follow through on requests such as creating an exhibit to show discrepancies in testimony of key witness Ian Zinderman. Young also maintained innocence and argued his involvement was the result of failures by his attorney and the court process.

Sentencing

On July 24, 2013, Tucker Cipriano entered the courtroom first about 1:45 p.m. Wednesday. He and friend Mitchell Young, 21, were sentenced, as expected, to mandatory life in prison. Tucker Cipriano was sentenced to life in prison for the April 16, 2012 murder of his father, Robert Cipriano, who was 52.

In Tucker’s pre-sentence statement, he admitted only to having been in an altercation with his younger brother, Salvatore, with a BB gun. Tucker accepted no responsibility for the fatal beating of his father and for beating his mother.

At sentencing, the judge, Oakland County Judge Shalina Kumar, acknowledged Tucker had a difficult life but said he was not the only one in that situation and had the benefit of a supportive family. The judge said, “Others fight through,” and stated that with the support and love Tucker had, he threw it away.

Tucker’s attorney, Mitchell Ribwiter, and Young’s attorney, Michael McCarthy, addressed the court. Mitchell Ribwiter said his client’s girlfriend wanted to give him a Rosary to wear for the hearing, but the court forbade it.

Young accepted less responsibility for the crimes. He maintained his innocence and guaranteed an appeal. In his statement, Young argued the system and his attorney failed him. At one point, the judge stopped Young to tell him it was not an appeal hearing, and Young cut off the judge while she was talking. The judge then responded by telling Young not to interrupt. The judge also said to Young that it was unbelievable that Young refused to acknowledge decisions or activities. The judge told Young he had ruined his own life along with the lives of the Cipriano family.

Tucker and Young were both given mandatory life sentences.

Appeals

Young continued to insist he was innocent and that he did not receive fair justice.

Outcome

Tucker Cipriano pleaded no contest to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison on July 24, 2013. Mitchell Young received a life sentence as well and continued to insist he was innocent.

Aftermath

After sentencing, Salvatore Cipriano continued hospitalization and rehabilitation needs described in court and reporting. Rose Cipriano sought rehabilitation after the attack.

Tucker Cipriano made an emotional farewell in court prior to being led away, which included the following quoted statement:

Dad, a lot of people miss you down here. I love you and I hope, for what it's worth, I did what you would've wanted me to do. Mom, you remember when the teachers had to detach us, from you, to be able to leave on my first day of first grade, but wouldn't let you go? Well mom, I wish I would've never let go.