Adam Ezerski

Case record: Adam Ezerski

Timeline

• August 11, 2001 — Kevin Begoon met Ezerski at a Polk Street cafe and let Ezerski stay for two nights at his place in the Tenderloin.
• July 25, 2001 — Irving Sicherer, 76, was found bludgeoned to death; police found him in his condominium in Aventura.
• July 26, 2001 — Anthony Martilotto, 39, was found strangled in a Fort Lauderdale hotel room.
• August 14, 2001 — Begoon was beaten by Ezerski in a Tenderloin apartment.
• August 15, 2001 — Ezerski was seen with Troy Alan Young at Serra Bowl in Daly City.
• August 16, 2001 — Ezerski and Young were spotted in San Jose.
• August 17, 2001 — Ezerski and Young were arrested without incident at a hotel-casino in Reno by police and FBI agents.
• October 1, 2003 — Ezerski was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
• October 2, 2003 — Ezerski pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Background

Adam Ezerski was a 19-year-old at the time police pursued him for killings in Florida and for an attack in San Francisco. He had a long history of minor offenses as a juvenile and young adult and had become estranged from his family. Detective John Curcio said Ezerski took advantage of his family, friends, and anyone he met and said, "He's burned his bridges everywhere he goes," and added, "His claim to fame is, he lures people in by saying, 'Have you ever had a Key West massage?' " Curcio also said, "That might actually be the robbery after he beats the tar out of you."

Ezerski described himself as gay in police interviews, but Detective John Curcio said he never gave any indication he was homophobic. Curcio said Ezerski was "actually apologetic" in interviews with investigators, while Curcio said at other times Ezerski was self-serving.

Police said Ezerski was known to frequent gay bars, clubs, and highway rest areas and that his last known residence was in Atlantic Beach, Fla. Police described him as 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, with green eyes and brown hair that he may have bleached.

FBI Special Agent Michael McKinley said: "I'm Adam. I'm the person you were looking for," after Ezerski told agents who he was.

Curcio said he feared Ezerski might be headed down the same path as Andrew Cunanan, who killed himself after police tied him to the killings of fashion designer Gianni Versace and four other gay men in 1997.

The offence

Ezerski was linked to two killings in Florida and to an attack in San Francisco. Police believed the Florida killings were committed by the same person. At the time, police also believed the killings involved victims who were gay.

Killing of Anthony Martilotto (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)

Anthony Martilotto, 39, was found strangled in a hotel room at the Radisson Bahia Mar on July 26, 2001. A maid at the Radisson Bahia Mar discovered his dead body, and he had been strangled to death early that morning.

Ezerski confessed to killing Martilotto and claimed self-defense. He said Martilotto, whom he had met in a nearby bar, attacked him while Martilotto was drunk.

Killing of Irving Sicherer (Aventura, Florida)

Irving Sicherer, 76, was found bludgeoned to death in his condominium in Aventura on July 25, 2001.

Ezerski denied involvement in Sicherer's death. Police in Aventura said there was nothing linking Ezerski to Sicherer. Police had not said why they linked the two killings except that they believed both victims were gay. A surveillance video from a grocery store and from Sicherer’s condominium showed Sicherer with a young man the night before his body was discovered, and police said the young man had a tattoo on his right arm above his elbow. Police said Ezerski also had tattoos but that they did not resemble the tattoos of the man seen in the video.

Investigation

Police pursued Ezerski after linking him to two murders in Florida and suspected him in connection with an attack in San Francisco.

San Francisco authorities reported that a Tenderloin resident apparently was bludgeoned and choked by Ezerski. The victim described his assailant as someone named Adam who seemed to be a clean-cut, nice guy down on his luck. The victim told police he had awakened in his apartment at 5 a.m. Tuesday to Ezerski choking him and hitting him with a plaster statue. He survived a blow to the head with the plaster statue and managed to fight off his assailant. Later in the day, the man said Adam called to apologize. The victim said he did not know who he was dealing with until Wednesday, when he saw a report on TV and talked to friends.

An account was bolstered by law enforcement because police said there was a latent fingerprint from a VHS video that had been positively identified as Ezerski, and Inspector Dominic Celaya said: "There was a latent fingerprint from a VHS video, and it has been positively identified as this guy Ezerski, so we definitely know he was there,".

Investigators also said a receipt stub found by an attendant at a parking garage on Hemlock Street matched the license plate of a car Ezerski allegedly stole from one of the Florida victims. Authorities said the red 2001 Ford Mustang was rented by Anthony Martilotto. Martilotto checked into a Fort Lauderdale hotel with Ezerski last month, and Martilotto was found strangled in his room at the Radisson Bahia Mar on July 26. Police said the day before, Irving Sicherer was found bludgeoned to death in his condominium in Aventura. Federal agents believed Ezerski still might be driving the red Mustang rented by Martilotto, using Florida license ED437F. Authorities said someone saw a man matching Ezerski's description in San Francisco on Wednesday driving the car, whose rear driver-side window was broken, and that police also reported a sighting earlier in the week in Southern California. Ezerski was described as using his real first name and as not concealing the license plate on a stolen car.

The investigation involved law enforcement outreach and community tips. Police distributed "wanted for murder" flyers for merchants and residents throughout the Castro and other gay neighborhoods, with two teams of law enforcement officers fanning out, one from the Police Department and one from District Attorney Terence Hallinan's office. Police Officer Chuck Limbert said: "We certainly want to make sure that everyone has all the information they need to protect themselves,". Limbert added: "If he leaves, so much the better for helping save some of our own citizens." Chief investigator Dan Addario said James Bolton of Louie's Barber Shop in the Castro was pleased with the community-alert efforts; Addario said police plans included investigators sending flyers to Guerneville and described it as "more of a proactive effort" and said: "Maybe with our contacts, we can flush this guy out and get him." Bolton said: "They pay just about the right amount of attention," and added: "It just makes people aware and reminds them to look out for other people."

Police issued an alert for authorities around the Bay Area to be on the lookout for the two men based on a report they had been seen by friends in San Jose. FBI spokesman Andy Black said an employee at a U-Haul rental lot remembered that the two men had tried to rent a truck but had no credit card and were forced to leave, saying: "That gave us a pretty good idea, it confirmed that they were traveling in a U-Haul." Black also said: "Our agents went to various U-Haul rental facilities,".

Arrest

Ezerski was arrested in Reno, Nevada after community tips led investigators there.

San Francisco police said a key lead came from tips from a member of a gay bowling league in Daly City. San Francisco police Inspector Dominic Celaya said: "That is the tip that led to the whole thing," and added: "After that, it was a nice domino effect." Jeffrey Dangermond said: "If it wasn't me, I would hope it would come from someone else," and said he provided the tip after seeing an acquaintance on an opposing bowling team with a man who turned out to be Ezerski. Dangermond said: "I was very shocked and surprised, and I was also extremely worried for this Troy guy," and called police.

Authorities followed leads to a Tenderloin hotel and U-Haul truck lots and then to Reno. Authorities said FBI agents spotted Young on Friday night at a Dairy Queen ordering for two and that agents followed Young back to Ezerski. The two men were arrested at the Holiday Inn Diamond's Casino.

Reno police Lt. Hal Wood said: "We have no reason to believe they were coming here other than they were just passing through."

Ezerski and Young were held. Young was held on a parole violation. Black said agents may seek to have Young prosecuted on charges of harboring a fugitive and described Young’s conduct by saying: "We are taking a serious look at that," and adding: "He got him a meal deal, for God's sake."

After his arrest, Ezerski told investigators about the Florida killings. The teenager gave no sign he harbored hatred against gays, authorities said. Ezerski said one of the Florida killings was self-defense and denied involvement in the other.

Ezerski and Young declined interview requests from The Chronicle at the Washoe County Jail.

Trial

Ezerski pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Sentencing

Ezerski was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Appeals

No appeal information appeared in the provided material.

Outcome

Ezerski was sentenced to 25 years in prison on October 1, 2003.

Aftermath

Police discounted Ezerski as the killer of Irving Sicherer, saying there was nothing linking him to Sicherer. Police said they had surveillance tapes showing Sicherer with a young man the night before his body was discovered and that the man’s tattoo did not match Ezerski’s tattoos. Police also confirmed that a bloody footprint found in Sicherer's home did not belong to Ezerski.

Law enforcement also said Ezerski was being held pending a hearing Monday on his extradition to Florida, where he had been charged with the July 26 slaying in Fort Lauderdale of 39-year-old Anthony Martilotto. Ezerski was also described as wanted in connection with two murders in Florida and suspected of a strangling attack in San Francisco about an hour north of Sunnyvale.

Other details

• Police distributed flyers in gay neighborhoods from Guerneville to San Jose, and Ezerski’s face was plastered on flyers throughout the Castro and other gay neighborhoods.
• Jennifer Rakowski of Community United Against Violence said: "Law enforcement, in particular the FBI, has learned how crucial it is to keep the community in the information loop," and said: "They cannot do their job alone."
• Police said the tentative link between the Florida murders included the belief that both victims were gay.
• Ezerski and Young drove to the bowling alley Wednesday night in a red 2001 Ford Mustang that police believed was stolen from one of the dead men in Florida.
• Dangermond said he was bowling against Young, who wore a shaved head and goatee, and said: "This guy Adam was there with him," while also saying Young's companion did not bowl and was "there, hanging out."
• Dangermond said Ezerski left briefly and returned, and eventually he drove off with Young.
• FBI agents later told Dangermond that Young had skipped out before authorities could question him, and Dangermond said: "It seemed like just 'another freaky twist to this whole thing.'"
• The Mustang was found abandoned Friday afternoon on Filbert Street on Russian Hill.
• Authorities said Young had told a friend he was headed for Reno in a U-Haul and that the friend told the FBI.
• Authorities said U-Haul retrieval attempts were made through friends at the Shamut Hotel and to no avail.
• Ezerski’s brother Aaron Smith disputed aspects of the law enforcement account and said Ezerski was a homophobic woman-chaser, saying: "He's not a homosexual,". Smith added: "He's always chasing girls," and said Ezerski had once threatened a gay acquaintance with a gun and was engaged to his girlfriend of two years.
• Martilotto’s older brother Roland said: "He was a homebody,". Roland added: "He wasn't one to frequent the bars and stuff, which made it really weird that this happened. I guess it was just a bad place at a bad time."
• A native New Yorker, Martilotto moved to Florida with his mother in the mid-'90s, leaving his longtime home in Staten Island, and his brother said Martilotto had worked in the stock market back home.
• After heading south, Martilotto became a live-in helper for elderly folks, and his brother said Martilotto "always thought of the other person."