Michael Licciardi

Norma heard yelling in the background of the call, and she sensed an opportunity. She knew there was a good chance that Robert had a gun on him, and since Babitsky worked in a federal building, Robert could be charged with carrying a weapon on government property.

Norma heard yelling in the background of the call, and she sensed an opportunity. She knew there was a good chance that Robert had a gun on him, and since Babitsky worked in a federal building, Robert could be charged with carrying a weapon on government property.

She ended up being half right. After Babitsky called the police and reported the assault, Robert fled the building. A traffic cop pulled him over as he tried to speed away in his car. And when Robert was taken to the police station for booking, officers found a loaded gun sewn beneath the seams of his jacket. So in addition to battery, Robert was charged with possession of a concealed weapon.

She ended up being half right. After Babitsky called the police and reported the assault, Robert fled the building. A traffic cop pulled him over as he tried to speed away in his car. And when Robert was taken to the police station for booking, officers found a loaded gun sewn beneath the seams of his jacket. So in addition to battery, Robert was charged with possession of a concealed weapon.

Michael and Norma celebrated when they heard the news.

Michael and Norma celebrated when they heard the news.

But their relief wouldn't last long.

But their relief wouldn't last long.

Because Robert hadn't been caught inside the government building, but rather outside of it, there was just enough reasonable doubt to claim that he never had the gun on him at the lawyer's office. So the local district attorney only moved forward with the battery charge. Robert pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, but it wasn't something he could be held in jail for.

Because Robert hadn't been caught inside the government building, but rather outside of it, there was just enough reasonable doubt to claim that he never had the gun on him at the lawyer's office. So the local district attorney only moved forward with the battery charge. Robert pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, but it wasn't something he could be held in jail for.

For Michael and Norma, it was just another dead end. They could feel the whole investigation into Jack's death sputtering until finally, towards the beginning of 1993, it came to a complete standstill. The case had gone cold. Nearly a year passed with little movement on Jack's murder investigation and no new leads of any kind.

For Michael and Norma, it was just another dead end. They could feel the whole investigation into Jack's death sputtering until finally, towards the beginning of 1993, it came to a complete standstill. The case had gone cold. Nearly a year passed with little movement on Jack's murder investigation and no new leads of any kind.

The district attorney's office stopped pressuring the police, in large part because the DA had recently suffered an embarrassing mistrial in a high-profile murder-for-hire case. It involved the Seattle Seahawks' former general manager, a college football star-turned-assassin, and a crossbow. Look it up. It's a wild story.

The district attorney's office stopped pressuring the police, in large part because the DA had recently suffered an embarrassing mistrial in a high-profile murder-for-hire case. It involved the Seattle Seahawks' former general manager, a college football star-turned-assassin, and a crossbow. Look it up. It's a wild story.

But it meant that the DA's office was far more fixated on retrying that case than it was on prosecuting Jack's murder. So police sergeants Williams and Capron were reassigned to other tasks within the department and finally got off Robert's back for the first time in months. For a core group of Robert's supporters, it seemed about time.

But it meant that the DA's office was far more fixated on retrying that case than it was on prosecuting Jack's murder. So police sergeants Williams and Capron were reassigned to other tasks within the department and finally got off Robert's back for the first time in months. For a core group of Robert's supporters, it seemed about time.

That was a housekeeper who helped out at Jack's house, Mary O'Donnell, who told me she defended Robert from the beginning. She was joined by Robert's paternal aunt, and despite his divorce from Annette, his former mother-in-law.

That was a housekeeper who helped out at Jack's house, Mary O'Donnell, who told me she defended Robert from the beginning. She was joined by Robert's paternal aunt, and despite his divorce from Annette, his former mother-in-law.

But I have to say, those three were decidedly in the minority. Along with Michael and Norma, most of the Licciardi family members, including all three of Robert's sisters, viewed his behavior as too suspicious to let by.

But I have to say, those three were decidedly in the minority. Along with Michael and Norma, most of the Licciardi family members, including all three of Robert's sisters, viewed his behavior as too suspicious to let by.