Why was Adrienne Shelly murdered?

Answer 1

MurderThe 40-year old Shelly was found dead at approximately 5:45 p.m on November 1, 2006. Her husband, Andrew Ostroy, found her hanging by a bed sheet[13] from a shower rod in the bathtub[11] of theAbingdon Square apartment in Manhattan's West Village that Shelly used as an office.[11] It initially appeared to be a suicide.[13] Ostroy had dropped her off at 9:30 a.m. that day, and as the building'sdoorman told journalists that he had accompanied Ostroy at his behest after Ostroy had not heard from Shelley that day. Upon reaching the apartment, they found that the front door had been left unlocked.[11]

An autopsy was performed the following day. The New York City Police Department was suspicious of sneaker prints in the bathtub that did not match Shelly's shoes (she was found wearing only socks). Shelly's husband also indicated that there was money missing from Shelly's wallet. He denied allegations that she would have committed suicide.[14]

Press reports on November 6, 2006 stated that police had arrested construction worker Diego Pillco, a 19-year-old Ecuadorian illegal immigrant[15] who confessed to killing Shelly after she complained about the noise he was making in the apartment below hers. Pillco said that he "was having a bad day".[15] Police said Pillco had made a taped confession implicating himself in the murder.[16][17]

Diego Pillco entered his guilty plea on February 14, 2008. He said that, contrary to his original story, Shelly had not complained about noise, but had in fact caught him stealing money from her purse after he slipped unnoticed into the apartment. When she tried to call the police, he grabbed the phone and covered her mouth as she began to scream. After Shelly fell, Pillco tied a bed sheet around her neck and decided to strangle her. Originally, Pillco claimed he didn't know Shelly was still alive when he hanged her, but in court he admitted to choking her with a sheet, tying it around her neck, and stringing her up to make it look like she committed suicide.[18] The medical examiner determined that Shelly was still alive when hanged.[19] Pillco was sentenced to 25 years in prison without parole on March 6, 2008.[20]

At Pillco's sentencing on March 13, 2008, Shelly's husband, along with family members said that they would never forgive him.[21] Andy Ostroy had said of Pillco "...you are nothing more than a coldblooded killer" and that he hoped he would "rot in jail".[21]

In remembering Shelly, Ostroy said that "Adrienne was the kindest, warmest, most loving, generous person I knew. She was incredibly smart, funny and talented, a bright light with an infectious laugh and huge smile that radiated inner and outer beauty... she was my best friend, and the person with whom I was supposed to grow old"

Answer 2

I've heard two stories. One: She walked in on a robbery attempt made by a construction worker and tried to call for help, but the robber, Diego Pillco, hanged her by a shower curtain ( mistakenly thinking she was dead) to make it look like suicide.

Two: She complained about the construction noise to Diego Pillco, who then followed her up to her apartment, where she slapped him. Diego then punched her and knocked her out. Thinking she was dead (which she wasn't), he hanged her by a shower curtain to make it look like suicide.

My mom actually knew Adrienne Shelly in grade school. They were good friends in elementary school, but in middle and high school, they both drifted apart from each other. You can watch my video showing Adrienne Shelly's 1984 Jericho High School Yearbook Picture at http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=YbypyYXfuL8.