Woman accused of killing millionaire boyfriend testifies in own defense

Catherine Pileggi says she doesn't remember much from fatal night

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A woman accused of killing her millionaire boyfriend inside his Fort Lauderdale mansion testified in her defense on Wednesday.

Catherine Pileggi opened up about the night she stabbed and shot her longtime boyfriend Ronald Vinci, 70, in June 2011.

Vinci's body was found wrapped in a comforter, duct-taped with garbage bags. His blood was on the bedding, the floor and the dresser, while the bed itself was ripped to shreds.

Police said Vinci suffered multiple stab wounds, a gunshot to the head, blunt-force fractures to his skull and a large cut to his throat.

A video showed Pileggi buying a blue plastic 45-gallon container at Home Depot on the morning of Vinci's death, police said. An identical container appeared in the crime scene photos taken at the Fort Lauderdale mansion.

Vinci and Pileggi, who was his girlfriend for 20 years, lived in the mansion, where Vinci's body was found.

"Did you tried to dispose of him?" asked the prosecutor.

"I don't remember that," said Pileggi.

A doctor also testified Pileggi did in fact suffer from battered woman syndrome, a long cycle of abuse that led up to the murder.

Pileggi said Vinci pointed a loaded gun at her earlier that fatal evening and said she soiled herself.

Pileggi testified that she saw no end to an abusive relationship, and while she doesn't deny the allegations against her, she said her memory afterwards is spotty.

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About the Authors:

Andrew Perez is a South Florida native who joined the Local 10 News team in May 2014.

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.