Carmel GIANNASCA
Carmel GIANNASCA
| DOB: | 1969 | ||||
| HAIR: | Black | BUILD:Thin | Height : 175cm Complexion - Olive | EYES: Brown | |
| CIRCUMSTANCES: | |||||
| Carmel Giannasca was last seen at Gladesville, Sydney on approximately 14th January 2002. She lived in the area with her family. Carmel is believed to have left her address in a dark green Holden TVN 835. The vehicle was later found in Parkway Avenue, in the Newcastle beachside suburb of Merewether. Carmel has not been seen or heard from since that date and there are grave concerns for her safety and welfare. | |||||
| Reported missing to:
Gladesville Police Station.
|
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Tuesday, February 19, 2002 . Posted: 11:42:54 (AEDT) - ABC
Detectives investigating the disappearance of a young mother more than a
month ago from her Sydney home say they now hold grave fears for her safety.
Police say 32-year-old Carmel Giannasca's husband did not report his wife's
disappearance for three weeks but has now told officers they had had an argument
and she left home.
He has told police she packed some suitcases, took some money and left the
family's home in Gladesville in a green Holden Commodore on January 14.
Superintendent Arthur Katsogiannis says police are concerned because Mrs
Giannasca has not contacted any of her relatives or friends.
"It is certainly unusual for a female to go missing and not contact any
relatives or friends and not be seen by anybody else," he said.
Fears for mother who vanished after row
By Les Kennedy March 5 2003 - SMH
Carmel Giannasca has two children, a daughter now aged 10 from her first
marriage and a son aged four from her second marriage. Her family says she doted
on both children and would never leave them. Yet at 7am on January 14 last year,
after an argument with her husband John at their home in Albert Street,
Gladesville, she walked out and has not been seen since. Police inquiries have
taken on the status of a potential homicide and Mrs Giannasca's father, Ross La
Spina, fears the worst. "Carmel would ring me every day without fail," Mr La
Spina said from his home in Mackay, Queensland. "She has not phoned since. She
would never do this even to her children, never leave them." Mr La Spina said
his 32-year-old daughter could be headstrong, but insisted she was "an excellent
mother". He last saw her in Sydney on January 8 at his father's funeral. "She
was grieving for her grandfather, but she was fine," Mr La Spina said. When he
returned to Mackay after two weeks' holiday, she had left her Gladesville home
and her mobile phone had been disconnected. A week later he spoke to her husband
at his parents' home in Putney. He revealed she had left three weeks earlier
after a row saying she was heading for Mackay. She had packed some clothes,
taken some money and driven off in their dark green Commodore. The vehicle was
later found in Parkway Avenue, in the Newcastle beachside suburb of Merewether.
The head of the investigation, Detective Senior Constable Matt Moss, said a
witness had seen a man leave the car after a grey-haired man in his 50s drove up
in a silver Ford Falcon. "The two spoke briefly and after the older man left in
the Ford, the first man got out of the Commodore and walked off towards Union
Street," he said. Senior Constable Moss said Mrs Giannasca's bank account had
not been touched. "Her disappearance is completely out of character and we hold
genuine concerns for her welfare," he said. Police have released computer
generated images of two men seen near her car in Merewether. Anyone with
information is asked to contact Strike Force Water Beach, at Gladesville Police
on 98799636 or Crime Stoppers on 1800333000.
Com-Fits And Number Plate Could Be Clues To Disappearance Of Carmel Giannasca
5/03/2003
Detectives investigating the disappearance of Carmel Giannasca from Gladesville
in January last year, today renewed their appeal for information by releasing
the reproduction of a number plate from the car Mrs Giannasca was last seen
driving. Detective Sergeant Matt Moss from the State Crime Command Homicide
Squad said Mrs Giannasca's 1996 dark green Holden Commodore sedan has since been
sold and the original number plates destroyed. "A new number plate has been made
in the hope of someone coming forward who might recognise the car. The
registration number of the car is TVN-835," Detective Sergeant Moss said. Strike
Force Waterbeach has been investigating the disappearance of Carmel Giannasca
who was reported missing from her home in Albert Street, Gladesville, by her
husband on Wednesday 6 February 2002. Det Sgt Moss said police have been given
information that Mrs Giannasca's car was last seen being driven by a man o! n
the 30th January 2002, and was parked in Parkway Avenue at Merewether, near
Newcastle. "A second car driven by another man arrived shortly after. Both men
left in this car."We are briefing the Coroner regularly in relation to our
investigation, as we believe Mrs Giannasca has met with foul play. Her bank
accounts have not been accessed, she did not take any medication with her, which
she requires for pain relief and anxiety." The behaviour of Mrs Giannasca is
completely out of character as the relationship between her, and her
nine-year-old daughter was extremely close. Det Sgt Moss said two men who might
be able to assist with information about the disappearance of Mrs Giannasca are
described as 40-45-years-old, 170cm, medium build, olive complexion and
grey/black hair. The second man is about 50-years-old, 179cm, medium build, grey
hair and olive complexion. "Both men were last seen driving away from Parkway
Avenue at Merewether on or about the 30 January last year." Anyone with
information should call Crime Stoppers immediately on toll free 1800 333 000 or
Strike Force Waterbeach on 9879 9636," Det Sgt Moss said.
THE friend of a Sydney mother who disappeared without a trace a year ago has
made an emotional appeal to anyone who could assist police.
Carmel Giannasca, a 33-year-old mother of two, was last seen at her home in
Gladesville, in Sydney's north-west, on January 14 last year. Her long-time
friend Pina Ball today pleaded for any information. "Please, from the bottom of
my heart, if someone knows or has seen Carmel, or knows anything, please contact
police," Ms Ball told reporters today. "We are very unsettled not knowing what
happened to Carmel ... we can't rest until we know where she is." Police said
Mrs Giannasca's dark green 1995 Holden Commodore was found in the Newcastle
suburb of Merewether several week after her disappearance. "At this stage it
does look grave," NSW Police Detective Inspector Dave Stinson said today.
"There's been no activity on her bank accounts or any phone calls to family or
friends." Mrs Giannasca was described as being of Mediterranean appearance,
175cm tall, thin in build, with long dark brown/chestnut coloured hair. Anyone
with information should contact Gladesville detectives on 9879 9699 or Crime
Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
A Sydney man whose wife disappeared a decade ago has been acquitted of her murder.
John Giannasca was accused of killing his 32-year-old wife, Carmel Giannasca.
She was last seen in 2002 at their home at Gladesville in Sydney's north-west.
The crown case was that Mrs Giannasca was killed because she knew of sex abuse allegations made against her husband's father.
But the defence argued the alleged abused occurred after the disappearance.
Mrs Giannasca's body has never been found.
The father of a Sydney woman who went missing 13 years ago says he has lost hope of ever finding out what happened to his daughter.
Mother-of-two Carmel Giannasca disappeared from her Gladesville home, in Sydney's northwest, in January 2002.
While the 33-year-old's car was found almost two months after she vanished, her body has never been located.
Her father Ross La Spina says the mystery of her disappearance weighs on him and memories are painful.
"I don't believe she's still alive. It's been 13 years and no contact of any sort," Mr La Spina told A Current Affair.
"No bank accounts were ever touched. It's very unlike her to vanish into thin air like that without a whisper, you know."
Her husband John Giannasca, now 58, waited three weeks before notifying police of her disappearance.
Former detective Matt Moss who worked on the case told A Current Affair they didn't have any suspects, just a version of events from her husband.
"He said they had a fight and she left," Mr Moss said.
"He said she took some money and she left, was on her way to see her father and after three weeks she didn't arrive. Her father said to John, there's something very wrong here and you have to go to the police."
A jury heard Ms Giannasca argued with her husband the night she disappeared over claims that his father, Antonio Giannasca, had been sexually abusing a girl.
Police alleged that the motive for Mr Giannasca killing his wife was to protect his father.
The girl, now an adult, said under cross-examination she could not not be sure if she had brought up the allegations of abuse before or after Ms Giannasca's disappearance, raising doubts about whether that incident could be motivation for murder.
Antonio Giannasca was never charged with any offence.
Meanwhile, the younger Mr Giannasca has never denied fighting with his wife the night she disappeared, but claims the disagreement was over money and a planned family holiday.
Without her body and without a clear motivation, Mr Giannasca was acquitted of his wife's murder in 2012.
But the 58-year-old is now at the centre of a new police investigation after his car fatally ran over his father, Antonio, while visiting his mother's grave site at Rookwood Cemetery on December 28.
Mr Giannasca claims his Honda Accord rolled over his dad after the 86-year-old fell in front of the vehicle.
He said he performed CPR before paramedics arrived, but the elder Mr Giannasca was pronounced dead at the scene.
A report is currently being prepared for the coroner.
Meanwhile, Mrs Giannasca's father believes someone knows what happened to his daughter and where she is.
"I don't know whether I'll ever in my lifetime, ever find out what happened to my daughter," Mr La Spina told A Current Affair.
"Just want to say that if somebody does know where my daughter is, please come forward, because my family has been disrupted," he said, before being overcome with tears.
A man acquitted over the murder of his wife 10 years ago is at the centre of a new police investigation after his car fatally struck his father while they were visiting his mother's Sydney grave site.
John Giannasca, 58, has told police he was visiting the grave of his mother, Angelina, at Rookwood cemetery on Sunday, December 28, when his Honda Accord rolled over the top of his father, Antonio Giannasca, after the elderly man fell in front of the vehicle.
Mr Giannasca carried out CPR on his father until paramedics arrived but the 86-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene just after 11am.
The death of Antonio Giannasca, 86, is now being investigated by the Flemington Local Area Command with the support of the Metropolitan Crash Investigation unit.
"The man's son has assisted police with their inquiries and a report will now be prepared for the coroner," a police spokesman said.
John Giannasca was found not guilty in 2012 of the murder of his wife, Carmel Giannasca, 33, who disappeared from her family home at Gladesville in January 2002.
Police had alleged that the motive for Mr Giannasca killing his wife was to protect his father, Antonio.
It was alleged during the seven-week trial that Mrs Giannasca had had an argument with her husband the night before she disappeared over claims that his father, Antonio, had been sexually abusing a girl.
Mr Giannasca waited three weeks before he informed police his wife was missing,
During cross-examination at the murder trial, the girl, now an adult, said she could not be sure if she had told Mr and Mrs Giannasca about the abuse before Mrs Giannasca had disappeared.
Mr Giannasca's barrister, David Dalton, SC, told the trial that the evidence showed the alleged incidents of sexual abuse had occurred after Mrs Giannasca disappeared, removing that motivation for murder.
He told the jury Mrs Giannasca was probably dead but it was "not appropriate or fair" to speculate on what had happened to her.
He said she had suffered from depression and chronic pain.
"She is still on the national database for missing persons … but here we are at a murder trial and you have to find that she is dead, that she has been killed," Mr Dalton said. "Clearly, it's unlikely she has headed off to a desert island or something - she could have been kidnapped, she could be in a psychiatric hospital without realising her identity. There is all sorts of permutations."
Mr Giannasca, who has always maintained his marital troubles with Carmel Giannasca centred mainly on their finances, was found not guilty of murder and cleared of the alternative charge of manslaughter in January 2012.
Antonio Giannasca was never charged with any offence.
Carmel Giannasca, whose car was found in a street in Merewether at Newcastle almost two months after she disappeared, has never been found.
She remains on the national missing persons register.
Mr Giannasca could be not be contacted for comment.
DETECTIVES investigating the death of Antonio Giannasca have received a tip-off they hope will lead to the location of the body of his son’s wife.
One police investigator said the caller had “crucial and intimate knowledge of what happened to her”.
“There are two children who have grown up without a mother so we want this person to come forward and help bring closure to the family,” the detective said.
“They have information that is crucial to us. If they provide more information this investigation can move forward.”
In a twist, one of the police officers who investigated Carmel’s death is now working on the death of Antonio Giannasca.
When The Daily Telegraph approached Mr Giannasca in central Sydney this week he was smiling and joking with a work colleague before visiting McDonald’s and the CBD Apple Store.
He would not comment on his father’s death.
“It has been difficult, extremely difficult. I am not impressed with the media coverage. I really don’t want to talk about it,” Mr Giannasca said.
Carmel, who was Mr Giannasca’s second wife, had a daughter from a previous marriage and a son during their 18-month marriage.
Soon after she vanished, Mr Giannasca started a relationship with mother of four Lucia Loizou. A year after he was acquitted of murder they wed in January 2013.
Carmel’s father Ross La Spina told A Current Affair in January he did not believe his daughter was alive. “I don’t know whether I’ll ever in my lifetime, ever find out what happened to my daughter,” he said.
“Just want to say that if somebody does know where my daughter is, please come forward.”
IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL CRIME STOPPERS ON 1800 333 000
By Mazoe Ford ABC
A man who accidentally ran over and killed his elderly father in the car park of a cemetery in Sydney's west has avoided a jail sentence, but has been disqualified from driving for two years and must do 150 hours of community service.
Joahn Giannasca often took his father Antonio to visit the grave of their late mother and wife Angelina at Rookwood Cemetery.
It was on one of these visits on December 28, 2014 that he accidentally hit his 86-year-old father with his car after putting his foot on the accelerator instead of the brake.
Court documents revealed Giannasca had returned to his car and started the engine to get the air-conditioning running.
"Later, while awaiting his father to enter the vehicle so they could leave, [Giannasca] put the vehicle in drive, took off the handbrake and put his foot on the footbrake," one document read.
As his father walked around the front of the car, he "stumbled on the uneven ground".
Giannasca then opened the door and tried to get out of the car to help.
"The vehicle has begun to roll forward and [Giannasca] has jumped back into the driver's seat and, intending to put his foot on the footbrake, pressed the accelerator."
Antonio Giannasca was dragged 12 metres and, despite his son's attempts to keep him alive using CPR, he died at the scene.
John Giannasca plead guilty to negligent driving causing death, but today magistrate Gary Still said he did not believe prison was an appropriate sentence because Giannasca hah already suffered enough from this "horrible and tragic" incident.
"He was profound affected by his father's death," Mr Still said.
"If the vehicle was left in park or neutral the defendant would not be here today and this accident would not have happened."
The magistrate accepted that Giannasca "cared deeply for his father and was totally involved in his father's life".
In 2012 John Giannasca was also before the courts and was acquitted of the murder of his wife Carmel, who had disappeared a decade earlier.
Detectives investigating that case were at the sentence hearing today and spoke to journalists outside the court.
"It's been a very sad matter, another tragic event has occurred for the Giannasca family and we feel deeply for members of the Giannasca family," Detective Sergeant Martha Winch said.
Police have continued their investigation into Carmel Giannasca's disappearance and hope a person who contacted Crime Stoppers in January with some information about the case will come forward once more.
"We require that person to make contact again and provide further detail in regards to the information they provided," Detective Sergeant Winch said.
