Shivangi Sinha
Frances Tormasi was just 39 years old when she was shot to death in the driveway of her home in March 1996. She led an ordinary life as a mother of three children. Recently separated from her husband, she had moved into a new home with her children and was living with a new partner. The police scrambled to find answers, and the case grew more complex when her eldest son reported that masked gunmen had fired at his mother, which he had witnessed. In ID’s ‘Blood Relatives’ episode, ‘Fusion Fatal,’ various aspects of the case are discussed, including the police work that led to the capture of the perpetrator.
Frances Tormasi’s Son Alleged Gunmen Shot His Mother
Born July 3, 1956, Frances Tormasi was a woman of wit, humor, and intelligence. She settled into a conventional life when she married Attila Tormasi, with whom she had four children: two sons, Attila Tormasi Jr. and Walter Tormasi, and two daughters, Sonia and Sophia Tormasi. Residing in the Martinsville area of Bridgewater Township, New Jersey, the family appeared to be like any other. Attila owned boarding homes in the area alongside his wife, providing well for his family. Everything seemed settled until it wasn’t.
Soon, troubles began between Frances and Attila, leading to their separation. Frances started dating Daniel Burnett and eventually moved out of the house in Martinsville to live with her new partner in one of the boarding homes. The children claimed that they lived with their father after the separation, and Frances did not visit them often. Amid these tumultuous times, on the evening of March 1, 1996, Frances came to the house to meet the children. As she was at the door, entering the home, Walter came rushing in, shouting that someone had shot his mother.
The police were called to the scene and found Frances lying in the driveway of her home. The door of her Jeep was still open, and she lay right next to it. She had been shot a total of ten times, with four of those shots aimed at her heart. By the time medical help could arrive, she had succumbed to her wounds. The gun used in the killing was identified as a 9mm handgun. Despite this, it remained puzzling for the police to solve what they called an “ambush” on Frances.
Frances Tormasi’s Killer Was Closer Home Than Expected
The nature of the attack and how Frances had been overpowered suggested a personal motive for the crime. The first person the police questioned was Walter Tormasi, as he was the one who raised the alarm and found the body. Walter claimed he was standing at the door, waiting for his mother to pick him up and take him to the Bridgewater Commons Mall. He said that just as she entered the driveway, a masked gunman wearing a black ski mask approached her and fired the shots. Walter claimed he chased the man for a mile and a half before losing him in the woods.
The police were suspicious of Walter’s account, as there was no sweat or perspiration on him to suggest he had run the distance he claimed. During a search of the Martinsville home, they found a diary in Walter’s room containing notes about killings and a warranty for a 9mm handgun. Now a prime suspect, the police interviewed more people. Walter’s girlfriend at the time revealed that he had once taken her to the basement and shown her a hole, which he claimed was from a gun he owned. This hole matched the bullet used to kill Frances.
Some of Walter’s friends revealed that he often said that he hated his mother for leaving his father and living with a boyfriend. In light of all the evidence against him, Walter was charged with murder and one count of possession of weapons for unlawful purposes. He was taken into custody and awaited trial while maintaining his innocence.
Walter Tormasi is Incarcerated Even Today
Walter Tormasi’s trial began in 1998, and he was tried as an adult despite being 16 when the crime allegedly occurred. His ex-girlfriend and friends testified against him, and the forensic evidence presented by the prosecutors built a strong case. Kenneth Riker, a friend of Walter’s from the juvenile detention center where he was held for two years, testified that Walter had confessed to shooting his mother eight to ten times. It was no surprise when Walter was found guilty of all charges and was handed a life sentence with the possibility of parole in 30 years.
Over the years, Walter has filed numerous appeals regarding his case. The most surprising one came in 2011 when he claimed that a letter written by his father proved his innocence. When Attila Tormasi died in 2010, his other children shared a letter in which he confessed to hiring a gunman to kill his estranged wife. Walter’s siblings said they had found the letter in 2003 but had not come forward due to fear and not wanting to see their father go to jail at such an old age. In 2013, the Superior Court ruled that the document could not be entered into evidence because the last page, which allegedly contained Attila’s signature and a notary seal, was missing from the document.
In December 2013, the Appellate Court ruled that the document could be authenticated and noted that it could be admissible since the siblings vouched for its credibility. The matter was referred back to the Superior Court, but his appeal was struck down in 2018 due to the overwhelming evidence otherwise implicating Walter. Since incarceration, Walter has finished his high school degree, obtained a patent, started an intellectual property holding firm, and worked in the prison library. He is currently 45 years old and is being held at the New Jersey State Prison. His parole eligibility has been set for July 13, 2026, upon which his behavior and institutional rehabilitation progress will be reassessed.
Read More: Mary Scott Murder: Where is John Sipos Now?
