In this episode of Crime Watch Daily Updates: Valentine’s Day is supposed to be about celebrating love and relationship, but for Ellie Tran, February 14, 2017, represented the exact opposite.
Ellie and her mother were at their Virginia Beach home, when her mom heard screaming coming from outside the house. She ran out and saw Ellie grabbing her leg and a man running down the street. Ellie was rushed to the hospital and put on life support, but she died. Ellie had been injected with cyanide, a lethal poison that most likely caused her excruciating amounts of pain.
Surveillance video captured the attack, and evidence pointed to Ellie’s estranged husband, Joseph Merlino. They shared a young daughter, but Ellie got a restraining order against him after he reportedly abused her.
Just two months before her death, a man dressed as a woman threw a substance at Ellie as she left her job at a nail salon. She survived the attack but suffered some hair damage.
Police arrested Joseph on suspicion of murder. While in custody, he reportedly tried sending coded messages to his family and girlfriend, but administrators at the Virginia Beach Correctional Center obtained the letters and decoded them. He reportedly asked his family to create a false alibi and evidence saying his family saw him the day Ellie was killed.
In June 2018, a jury found Joseph guilty of first-degree murder, and he was sentenced to life in prison.
Let’s look back at the case of a mother whose life was painfully cut short at the hands of her estranged husband.
He was a friend of mine and his dad was best friend with my dad before he passed away.
Acid and cyanide???? Wtf, this dude was a monster
Lock him up and throw away the key!! He is a dangerous man!!
Death should be the only option for him!!! A life for a life!!!!!
What is the matter with people? They loved eachother once, now they hate so much that traumatising their children for the rest of their lives, is worth it, just collateral damage.
She did all the right things and the courts failed her. I'm not even sure you could blame the courts because they did arrest him and had him in jail, I guess. But they still let him out even after intercepting his mail to his family.
his defense atty full of bs
This murderer lived in my neighborhood. He was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison plus a $100,00 fine.
Disgusting and sad!
This is a sad state of affairs; a hate crime to be sure called White fragility. (Sage journals: The Gendered Racialization of Asian Women as Villainous Temptresses)
He should not be given life. He should be executed, now !!!
Poor Ellie she was unlucky in meeting this unhinged psycho, she didn't have a chance! Most DV cases escalate to murder when the wife finally tells him she'll leave. I wish she didn't and just moved away with her family cutting off all contact and stopping any SM postings
LoL
If you're in an unhappy marriage, just work on it or get a divorce. There's no need to hurt anyone!
Why is the poison even accessible?
This world is evil 😢 I ask God to protect females from evil hateful vindictive spiteful bitter violent men! God help theses woman get out and away from theses men in the name of Jesus. ❤
Not to sound morbid, but out of all of the days he picks Valentine’s Day?? 😢
Typical WMAF
Where's the rest of the story. Why did it just stop abruptly
So sorry heartbreaking deepest condolences
wow
How do people come by cyanide??? I just watched a documentary about a dentist who also killed his wife with potassium cyanide! 😢
Never hang w anyone with the skullet or reverse mullet, comb over delusional haircuts.
What a loser, this guy.
We live in a World of insanity, I'm getting to the point where i don't want to leave my house.
A lot of unattractive white men purchase Asian women from abroad, thinking that they are subservient and will not leave them.
Wicked people everywhere
He is white will be get with that i hope judge never release him
I always feel intrigued by your amazing crime investigation series, Ana. 👍 Hope that Ellie rest in peace. 😢
Hey,I just seen where the famous designer Kate Gallagher who died last July Suddenly,they got her toxicology report and all back and ruled it a homicide by fentynyl and ethanol,and She's one of 26 people targeted in the fashion industry thay have been poisoned since then,and 7 deaths out of those.its a big thing going on!
Joseph merlino South Philly crime boss???
Don't waste your time – suddenly cuts off with full story missing!
Love your hair looking very well. Great programme loving it
Why do these come up as "updates" when nothing about the case is new? This is from 2018. Thanks!
Males are doing this to women, offing them, every single day, Stay far away from these devils, they are not worth the tragedy they bring,
Ana Garcia is annoying
It's not very often you hear of a man poisoning their spouse.
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Wish I could be killed
Off topic here but I’ve been watching the trial of Letecia Stout. She murdered her step son in Colorado, put his body in a suitcase, drove to Florida and threw his body off a bridge. He was so precious. It’s so disturbing! She’s claiming insanity which is ridiculous! The trial is on Crime Talk YouTube channel. Plunder YouTube has a great analysis of this case, also.
Damn…
Inject him the cyanide so he knows what it feels like.
Why not control yourself and leave an over and out relationship? He already has another relationship.
Coercive control.
She sure was very attractive. RIP