Lansing - Dennis Michael Salerno stood expressionless and stiff Tuesday as a judge ruled he is guilty of killing his wife, an MSU graduate student.
The 32-year-old inmate sat clad in an orange jumpsuit and confined by ankle chains, as Ingham County Circuit Court Chief Judge Peter Houk declared “the evidence is overwhelming,” and convicted him of first-degree murder in the 2000 death of Michelle Rizzi Salerno.
Dennis Salerno’s is scheduled to be sentenced at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 25 in Houk’s courtroom. He will be kept at the Ingham County Jail until that time. Prosecutors expect a life sentence.
Dennis Salerno’s attorney David Merchant said he plans to appeal the verdict, a common occurrence in first-degree murder cases. Once Merchant files the appeal, Salerno will be appointed a different public defender.
Despite Dennis Salerno’s lack of visible emotion, Merchant said he remained hopeful he would be acquitted as he entered the courtroom and was upset after the verdict. Dennis Salerno decided not to have his case heard by a jury.
Family members of Michelle Salerno sat in anticipation in the front row of the courtroom as Houk rendered his verdict - 758 days after 26-year-old Michelle Salerno disappeared.
Michelle Salerno’s mother Patricia Rizzi, and sister Marie Rizzi hugged and thanked attorneys and detectives after the decision was handed down. Michelle Salerno’s father Mario Rizzi, and her brother Patrick Rizzi also showed their appreciation.
“You’re never going to have closure, but we are very grateful,” Patricia Rizzi said.
Rizzi was first to testify in the trial and was under orders not to talk to the press until a verdict was rendered.
While reading his verdict, Houk said Dennis Salerno weighed the pros and cons of his actions before he strangled his wife. He said the evidence proved he killed her in East Lansing and transported her body to an Ohio landfill at Bowling Green State University, where her body was found.
Dennis Salerno, who is serving a 22-year-to-life sentence in an Ohio prison for the killing of Larry McClanahan, has claimed McClanahan killed his wife and he murdered McClanahan in revenge.
But Houk said Dennis Salerno lied about his involvement. He said Salerno might have killed his wife because she found he and McClanahan were involved in a sexual relationship. Thomas Huff, a former jailmate of Dennis Salerno, testified to the relationship and videotapes show Salerno engaged in sexual contact with other men.
“The verdict is the result of great cooperation between police departments in Ohio and Michigan,” said Ingham County Assistant Prosecutor Sam Smith. “If you add everything together the picture is clear as can be.”
After sentencing, Dennis Salerno will be sent back to an Ohio prison. If Dennis Salerno is paroled from his Ohio sentence, he will return to Michigan to serve time for Michelle Salerno’s slaying.
Alison Barker can be reached at barkera6@msu.edu.
