Bucks DA: Newly discovered human remains belong to missing man

Law enforcement officials in Bucks County made a solemn announcement late Wednesday night acknowledging that human remains had indeed been found on a 90-acre property being searched in connection with the disappearances of four missing men.

At about midnight on Wednesday, Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub said that the remains of 19-year-old Dean Finocchiaro, had been found in a twelve-and-a-half-foot-deep “common grave” on a farm in Solesbury Township.

The farm where the young man’s body was found belongs to the family of Cosmo Dinardo, 20, of Benselem, who has been arrested after, police say, he attempted to sell one of the four missing men’s vehicles.

Finocchiaro had been missing from his Middletown Township home since Friday, last week. Weintraub declined to discuss how the young man may have died, but assured reporters that his death was, indeed, a homicide.

“This was a homicide. Make no doubt about it,” said the district attorney in a press conference on Wednesday night.

The district attorney said that additional human remains were also found in the grave with Finocchiaro’s remains, though he declined to comment on whether these belonged to any of the other three missing men – Thomas Meo, 21, of Plumstead Township; Mark Sturgis, 22, of Pennsburg; and Jimi Patrick, 19, of Newtown Township.

Weintraub said that cadaver dogs led investigators to the site of the common grave.

According to Weintraub, a search will continue at the farm, owned by Antonio and Sandra Dinardo, located along Route 202 and Aquetong Road in Solebury, on Thursday, as he swore to continue the investigation until all four men have been returned to their families “one way or another.”

“We’re going to see this investigation through to the end,” said the district attorney. “We’re going to bring each of these lost boys home to their families, one way or another.”

According to law enforcement officials, Dinardo has not yet been charged with Finocchiaro’s death. He remains in custody on $5 million cash bail following his arrest after, police said, he attempted to sell a vehicle that belonged to Meo, who has been missing since last week.

When asked about the relationships Finocchiaro and the rest of the missing males may have had to Dinardo at a Thursday morning press conference, Weintraub said that he does have information that he is not ready to reveal.

“I know more than I’m saying on these relationships,” said Weintraub on Thursday morning. “Let’s keep it that way to preserve the integrity of the investigation.”

He noted that he may have additional information to share at another briefing planned for Thursday afternoon. Weintraub also encouraged the public to share tips with the FBI, by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (hit option 7) or visiting tips.fbi.gov.