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Man pleads guilty in death of comic collector

Posted at 7:39 AM, Oct 02, 2015
and last updated 2015-10-02 07:39:01-04

A western New York man has pleaded guilty in the death of a comic book collector who died of a heart attack shortly after a home invasion and robbery.

The U.S. Attorney's office says 37-year-old Donald Griffin of Rochester was one of three men who broke into the Medina home of 78-year-old Homer Marciniak in 2010 to steal his comic books. Prosecutors say Griffin struck the homeowner in the face, sending him to the hospital for stitches.

Marciniak had a heart attack and died a short time later.

Griffin pleaded guilty Thursday to committing a murder in aid of a racketeering enterprise. He could be sentenced to life in prison.

Investigators say the burglary was engineered by a former pawn shop owner, Rico Vendetti, who is awaiting sentencing for racketeering.

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