Michael Mele, a 26-year-old former Town of Newburgh man and a convicted sex offender, pleaded guilty to manslaughter Monday just as his much-awaited jury trial was about to begin in Goshen.

Mele admitted killing Laura Garza, 25 at the time of her death in December 2008, and disposing of her body. Mele told the court that he suffocated the aspiring dancer after she became upset upon seeing a picture of his girlfriend.

“She wanted to leave. I didn’t want to drive back,” said Mele. “She started to get a little louder. I put my hand over her mouth and partially her nose and, shortly after that, she stopped yelling, stopped moving and I realized something bad had happened.”

He said he panicked at that point.

Mele said he put her body in a laundry basket and put a blanket over her. He carried her to his Infiniti SUV, drove to a remote area outside of Scranton, where he dumped her body.

Garza’s body wasn’t discovered until April 2010 when a group of ATV riders found her skeletal remains in the woods in Mount Cobb, Pa. A watch that Garza was wearing at the time of her disappearance was found with her remains.

Mele and Garza had met at Club Marquee, a Manhattan nightclub that caters to the likes of Kate Hudson, Paris Hilton and other celebrities earlier that night. The two were seen leaving the club at about 4 a.m. and then later that morning at a McDonald’s restaurant on Route 300 in the Town of Newburgh.

Mele has been the primary suspect in Garza’s killing for more than three years, but State Police said he managed to avoid their direct questioning throughout the investigation standing on his constitutional rights.

He has been kept in custody throughout the investigation for violation of probation on several sex-related convictions in the State of New York. He was also facing similar charges of masturbating in front of women at a Paramus, N.J., mall.

Mele, the son of a retired Metropolitan Transportation Authority deputy police chief, was interviewed immediately after Garza’s disappearance, reportedly coming in voluntarily with his father and a lawyer. At the time of his questioning, Mele bore signs of a struggle including bite marks on his hands and scratches on his back.

Police executed a number of warrants at several locations in Orange County including Mele’s residence in Wallkill. Investigators were suspicious of carpeting that had been cut out of an area rug and bloodstains found at the home.

He had maintained his innocence right up until his abrupt decision to take a plea to guilty of manslaughter. As a result of his plea, Orange County Judge Nicholas DeRosa agreed to sentence Mele to 23 years in prison and a minimum of 16 more months in prison for tampering with evidence. The sentences are to be served concurrently. With good behavior, Mele could be free in less than 20 years.

The sentence left members of Garza’s family in tears.

Garza’s mother, Elizabeth Esqivel, sobbed as she told reporters that she was worried that he would get out of prison too early.

Mele is to be formally sentenced on March 6, when Garza’s family said they would address the court – and especially Judge DeRosa.

By ALLAN GAUL
agaul@tcnewspapers.com