Murderer Still at Large Boca Raton Area $350,000 Reward

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A mother and her 8-year-old daughter were robbed and killed in a parking lot of the Town Center at Boca Raton, their bodies found by mall security early Thursday morning in an SUV that was left running, police said.

The bodies of Nancy Bochicchio, 47, and her daughter, Joey Bochicchio-Hauser, 8, were discovered in the south parking lot of Sears. The mall closed at 10 p.m. Wednesday.

Police had sought to beef up security during the holiday season.

"You try to plan the best you can for every situation, but how do you plan for random acts of violence such as this?" Sgt. Jeff Kelly asked. "Not knowing when it's going to strike, especially when the mall's closed."

 At their home west of Boca Raton, where the two lived alone, neighbors were shocked and in disbelief.

"Why her? Who would kill a little girl like that," said Sandra Rossi, who went outside at 3 a.m. to find Buttonwood Lake Drive swarmed with police. "I can't believe this happened. I don't feel safe here anymore."

Police think the case could be connected to a carjacking about 7:30 p.m. Aug. 7 in the parking garage at Nordstrom department store in which a 30-year-old shopper and her 2-year-old son were abducted as she was putting her bags in the car. A man appeared with a gun and shoved it to the boy's head, his grandfather said. They then tied the woman.

"They made her go to the bank and had a gun to the baby's head," the boy's grandfather, Raymond Diiulio, said. The robbers took $600 then dropped the mother off, back in the garage.

"She didn't have any money. They brought her back to the garage and left her tied up," he said. "In hindsight now, it's a miracle to have this happen to them."

At St. Jude Catholic School, where Joey was a second-grader, the annual holiday concert Thursday night began on a somber note as about 400 students and their families paused in 60 seconds of silence for Joey and her mom.

"We were hit with a terrible tragedy last night," Principal Deborah Armstrong's voice wavered over the microphone. "We're hurt and we're saddened because we are missing part of our family, but we rejoice because we know that Joey and Nancy are with their maker."

Children were sent home from school with a note explaining what had happened.

"I used to wave to her mother every morning, except this morning," said Sky Mercede, whose daughter Michelle was in Joey's class. "I don't think it has sunk in yet."

At the Town Center mall, mothers with young children, teenagers, couples and senior citizens bustled in and out of the Sears store Thursday evening.

"I'm from New York. Nothing stops me from shopping," said Donna Stein of Great Neck, who was there with her parents, David and Pearl Stein of Delray Beach. "There are always muggings at the mall where I shop on Long Island, so I always try to park in the front."

Emily Green, 19, of Boca Raton, heard about the murders from friends who work at Stir Crazy restaurant at the mall.

"I heard that they couldn't get into work this morning because the police had the parking lot blocked," said Green, who came to shop for some holiday gifts anyway. "It upsets me because maybe it happened because a mother was trying to protect her child and resisted."

Nancy Bochicchio was making the final plans for Joey's eighth birthday party on Sunday, said Hank Matthews, a close friend and neighbor.

"I have birthday and Christmas presents for Joey in my house," said Matthews, holding back tears. "I just can't believe it."

The two were nice to strangers, a refreshing attitude in West Boca, said another neighbor, Karen Levine.

link to full story: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpmall1214pndec14,0,4444051.story?page=1

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