Louis Fucci, the former co-owner of Electra Night Club in West Lebanon a venue often rented for Greek organizations' formals until it closed in 2010 was arrested on Sept. 16 for conspiracy to commit murder, according to an affidavit authored by Police Officer Michael Tkac and obtained by The Dartmouth.
Fucci, 54, faces two counts of attempted first-degree murder and two counts of incitement to commit a felony, according to court documents released by the Vermont State's Attorney for Windsor County. Fucci faces a minimum imprisonment of 35 years, with a maximum sentence of life behind bars, the court documents said.
Fucci and Tkac did not respond to requests for comment by press time.
Both Electra Night Club and Benning Street Bar and Grill, which Fucci also owned, were shut down last December, according to the Valley News.
Fucci has already had legal trouble as a result of his two failed businesses and was previously charged with driving under the influence, prosecuting attorney Robert Sand said in an interview with The Dartmouth. Sand declined to comment further on Fucci's past legal problems.
In July, Fucci allegedly approached a man who had performed construction work on his house in White River Junction and paid him $8,000 to kill his former business partner Bruce Weissman identified in the affidavit as BW of Fort Lauderdale, Fla, according to the affidavit.
The construction worker, whose name has not been released, subsequently met with Hartford Police on July 14 but did not initially name his client, according to the affidavit.
The construction worker contacted Weissman and persuaded him to cut off contact with Fucci. The construction worker then told Fucci that he had killed Weissman and that Weissman would be reported as missing, the affidavit said.
In late August, Fucci allegedly approached the construction worker again and asked him to kill Fucci's former girlfriend for an additional $1,000. The girlfriend, identified in the affidavit as JB, had previously obtained a restraining order following their breakup. According to the construction worker's account, Fucci had been stalking his ex-girlfriend despite the security cameras placed around her home, the affidavit said.
Sand declined to comment on Fucci's motives for allegedly attempting to kill his two targets.
"The state doesn't have to prove motive," Sand said.
On Sept. 6, the construction worker met again with police officers and identified his client as Fucci, according to the affidavit. He added that Fucci had asked him why there had been no announcements regarding Weissman's disappearance. The construction worker responded that a missing person in Florida did not concern New England news outlets, the affidavit said.
The construction worker also stated that Fucci had told him that Fucci had burned down his ex-wife's home, the affidavit said. The police had not determined any cause for the arson of the ex-wife's house, which burned down last November, according to court documents.
Following this meeting between the construction worker and Fucci, police obtained a warrant to wire tap the construction worker's future conversations with Fucci, the affidavit said.
Tkac stated in the affidavit that he spoke to Weissman by phone on Sept. 8. Weissman, who is currently in Florida, said he feared for his safety and the safety of his family.
A Sept. 9 recording of Fucci's conversation revealed his plan to have the construction worker drive his ex-girlfriend off the road.
"She could go out partying one night and never come back," Fucci said in a recording cited in the court documents.
Fucci also said in a taped conversation that he had been watching television shows for new ideas.
Several additional recordings were collected during the following week. On Sept. 15, investigators spoke to the ex-girlfriend about the plot. She stated in her affidavit that Fucci likely targeted her for her knowledge of Fucci's business dealings and "embezzlements." She also said her knowledge of the burning of Fucci's ex-wife's home may have been a factor in Fucci's decision to attempt to have her killed.
Weissman told Tkac that the construction worker acting as a police informant believed that Fucci was taking advantage of his earlier police record.
The construction worker currently faces a disorderly conduct charge in Vermont and is under investigation for the illegal use of a credit card, according to the affidavit. The construction worker was also recently arrested by the Lebanon police for a D.U.I. charge.
Sand said he does not expect the construction worker to face any new charges.
"I do not envision that arising out of this incident," Sand said. "He's the one who approached police to prevent anyone from being harmed."
