Former Seattle police officer tied to apparent mob hit
Apr 3, 2012, 5:48 AM | Updated: 7:28 am
A 27-year-old murder case, long thought to be linked to organized crime, has been solved, and a former Seattle police officer turned professional killer appears to be behind it.
Mario Vaccarino was a vocal union leader in 1985, pushing pickets at Seattle hotels and restaurants.
He was found face down in the bathtub of his Shoreline home, still in his bathrobe with the water running. His body was sprinkled with parmesan cheese.
Investigators long believed it was a mob hit because Vaccarino was rumored to be helping the feds in an organized crime sweep, but KIRO 7 reports detectives now believe former Seattle cop Gary Krueger killed Vaccarino as a favor for a friend.
Krueger is also suspected in three other Northwest murders.
He died in 2010 fleeing a home invasion robbery.
