A Pennsylvania woman's beloved dog, a 10-year-old Rottweiler named Zeus, was among the possessions of her deceased mother that were disposed of by her father after she passed away from gunshot wounds in their home.
The 2013 shooting was initially reported as an accidental discharge of a .40 caliber pistol by Chelsea Cicio's stepfather, Bruno Rocuba. According to Rocuba, he was cleaning his gun on the nightstand when his wife sat down next to him and it accidentally went off.
However, seven years after the incident, state police re-examined the case and discovered inconsistencies in Rocuba's account of the shooting. Investigators found a home security system that captured footage of Melissa Rocuba's last movements and words, including her screaming for help as she lay dying.
The new evidence led to a re-investigation, and on June 3, 2022, Bruno Rocuba was arrested and charged with third-degree murder. Two years later, in May 2024, he pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to 12 to 40 years behind bars, with time served.
Chelsea Cicio expressed shock that her father asked them to dispose of their mother's clothes, beloved dog Zeus, and all photographs of his wife just days after she passed away. She recalled that her father even got rid of her sister's entire wardrobe and said he couldn't bear the sight of it.
Sabrina Rocuba, Chelsea's older sister, echoed similar sentiments, stating that they had to go through their mother's belongings to bury her in new clothes due to their father's request.
The case has raised concerns about domestic violence and the handling of evidence by law enforcement agencies. The district attorney initially declined to charge Bruno Rocuba with murder, citing a lack of evidence; however, state police later found key inconsistencies in his account that ultimately led to his arrest and conviction.
Chelsea Cicio expressed relief that her father is behind bars, saying she was worried he would be arrested but had recommended he hire an attorney. Her sister Sabrina added that they never suspected their stepfather's involvement in the shooting prior to the police re-investigation.
The case serves as a reminder of the importance of thorough investigations and the devastating impact of domestic violence on families.
The 2013 shooting was initially reported as an accidental discharge of a .40 caliber pistol by Chelsea Cicio's stepfather, Bruno Rocuba. According to Rocuba, he was cleaning his gun on the nightstand when his wife sat down next to him and it accidentally went off.
However, seven years after the incident, state police re-examined the case and discovered inconsistencies in Rocuba's account of the shooting. Investigators found a home security system that captured footage of Melissa Rocuba's last movements and words, including her screaming for help as she lay dying.
The new evidence led to a re-investigation, and on June 3, 2022, Bruno Rocuba was arrested and charged with third-degree murder. Two years later, in May 2024, he pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to 12 to 40 years behind bars, with time served.
Chelsea Cicio expressed shock that her father asked them to dispose of their mother's clothes, beloved dog Zeus, and all photographs of his wife just days after she passed away. She recalled that her father even got rid of her sister's entire wardrobe and said he couldn't bear the sight of it.
Sabrina Rocuba, Chelsea's older sister, echoed similar sentiments, stating that they had to go through their mother's belongings to bury her in new clothes due to their father's request.
The case has raised concerns about domestic violence and the handling of evidence by law enforcement agencies. The district attorney initially declined to charge Bruno Rocuba with murder, citing a lack of evidence; however, state police later found key inconsistencies in his account that ultimately led to his arrest and conviction.
Chelsea Cicio expressed relief that her father is behind bars, saying she was worried he would be arrested but had recommended he hire an attorney. Her sister Sabrina added that they never suspected their stepfather's involvement in the shooting prior to the police re-investigation.
The case serves as a reminder of the importance of thorough investigations and the devastating impact of domestic violence on families.
This whole thing just sounds so messed up 
. I mean, first off, the fact that Bruno Rocuba's initial story about it being an accident didn't add up is already super suspicious 
. And then you find out there was a security system that captured footage of his wife screaming for help as she was dying... talk about a red flag 
. It's wild to think he was able to get away with something so egregious for so long.
. Chelsea and Sabrina's reactions when their dad started disposing of their mom's belongings? That's just heartbreaking 
. And the fact that he got rid of photos of his wife and even her sister's entire wardrobe? That's just insane.
. 12-40 years is definitely a fair sentence considering all the evidence they found. It's a good reminder for law enforcement to double-check their work and for families to be more vigilant about suspicious behavior 
.
this whole thing is just heartbreaking, you know? i mean zeus was more than just a pet, he was part of the family. it's so sad that they had to go through all that trauma just days after melissa passed away. and the fact that her dad asked them to dispose of her clothes and photos like they were nothing is just... 
i don't think anyone should ever have to experience that kind of pain and loss. and now that justice has been served, it's still hard to imagine what their lives must have been like leading up to the shooting. 
I'm so sorry to hear about Chelsea Cicio going through all this trauma again after 7 years. It's heartbreaking that her father disposed of their mom's belongings, including Zeus, without even giving them a proper goodbye 
. And now he's behind bars for the murder of his wife... it's a relief for Chelsea and her sister Sabrina that justice has been served 
. This whole case is just a reminder how quickly our assumptions can be proven wrong and how crucial it is to have thorough investigations in place, especially when it comes to domestic violence 
. My heart goes out to Chelsea and her family during this difficult time 
.
his father's move to get rid of their mom's stuff is just mind blown, like he didn't want anyone to see her after she died 
. the fact that they had to put new clothes on their mom to bury her shows how messed up this situation was 
. domestic violence is so real and devastating, we need to keep raising awareness about it 
. The guilty plea and sentencing are a belated measure of justice, but it raises more questions about how we can prevent such atrocities from happening in the future 
and now their dad is getting away with murder after being told to get rid of all that evidence. law enforcement agencies are literally supposed to be protecting people, not covering for abusers 
. it's wild how the DA initially dropped the ball on this one... time served? 12-40 years? still feels way too lenient to me 
. I mean, you got this dog Zeus who was like family, just tossed in the trash... and her sisters clothes too? It's so sad. Its crazy how Bruno kept gettin away with it all those years ago but then state police comes along and figures out he lied about it. The new evidence is wild, it shows him screamin for help as she lay dyin... its just barbaric. Anyway, Chelsea finally got some justice i guess, 12-40 yrs behind bars, that's a long time. Domestic violence cases like this one should be all we're talkin about right now.
. Thankfully they re-investigated & got him behind bars though, and it's good that Chelsea & her sister are getting some justice. It's a huge reminder to always keep an eye out for signs of domestic violence & make sure our law enforcement agencies are doing their job properly 
I mean, can you even imagine having to sort through your mom's stuff just days after she dies? Like, get it together, dude 
. And let's be real, domestic violence cases can be super tricky to navigate... I'm glad Chelsea and Sabrina got some closure, but it's still just heartbreaking 
But at least we know now that the truth came out, and Bruno Rocuba is paying for his actions. 12-40 years in prison is still a tough sentence, but it's better than nothing.