Shivangi Sinha
In February 2020, Dottie Palumbo from Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, contacted the police to report her son, Keith Palumbo, missing. She had last seen him on February 6 and was growing increasingly concerned about his safety and well-being. A few days later, the police discovered Dottie’s car, which Keith had been driving, in Kensington, Pennsylvania. Sensing there was more to Keith’s disappearance than initially appeared, investigators began looking into people close to him for answers. The episode of ID’s ‘How (Not) to Get Rid of a Body,’ titled ‘Graveyard Shift,’ delves into the case and highlights the police investigation that ultimately led to the capture of the killer.
Keith Palumbo’s Dreams of Becoming a Star Musician Were Cut Short in 2020
Keith Edward Palumbo was born on November 27, 1983, to Louis and Dorothy “Dottie” Palumbo. Growing up in a large family with 11 siblings in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, Keith was known for his joyful spirit and his ability to bring a smile to everyone’s face. He had a deep love for music, having picked up a guitar at just four years old and strumming it regularly. As he got older, Keith continued to nurture his passion for music and eventually became a songwriter, joining two local bands. With dreams of making it in the music industry, he pursued his artistic ambitions while also taking on other interests to support himself financially.
Keith was always creative, with a passion for painting, which led him to open his own business, Viking Blood Tattoos. After the business closed, he started working part-time at Pushin Tattoos and thoroughly enjoyed it. He maintained a close circle of friends — many of whom he had known since childhood — and was living life to the fullest. On February 6, 2020, Keith returned to the home he shared with his mother. He told her he was heading out for dinner and took her car. Sadly, that was the last time anyone heard from him.
Keith had sometimes been away from home for a few days, doing his own thing, but when several days passed without a word, Dottie grew concerned. He always checked in with her, or at least called, whenever he was away for an extended period. Worried, she contacted the police and expressed her concerns. The police quickly launched an investigation into his whereabouts. His mother’s worst fears were realized on April 3, 2020, when police discovered Keith’s body inside a crypt at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He had been shot twice in the head, and it was determined that he had died in February 2020.
Keith’s Connection to the Warlocks Raised Suspicion for the Police
When the police began investigating Keith Palumbo’s death, the first people they wanted to question were his friends. Just days before his disappearance, on January 28, 2020, Keith had been shot and hospitalized. He hadn’t filed a police report, but authorities believed this could be a crucial link to uncovering the truth. He had a strong passion for motorcycles and was closely associated with members of the Warlocks Motorcycle Club. The Warlocks are an outlaw motorcycle gang founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Known for their violent reputation, the Warlocks are involved in various criminal activities, including drug trafficking, illegal weapons possession, and violent crime.
The police managed to track down a Warlocks member named Buck Evans, who had been close to Keith. When questioned, Evans revealed that Keith had started making some enemies within the motorcycle club. Many members believed that Keith was a “snitch” who was cooperating with the police, even though there was no truth to the claim. Evans admitted that he had bought into this theory and had shot at Keith in January to scare him off but insisted that he had nothing to do with Keith’s disappearance after that incident. Evans then pointed the police toward Michael DeLuca, Keith’s best friend and fellow member of the Warlocks. He suggested that DeLuca might have more information about his friend’s disappearance, steering the investigation in a new direction.
Keith Palumbo’s Killers Had Conspired to Hide His Body in a Crypt
When Dorothy Palumbo’s car was found on February 13, 2020, in Kensington, Pennsylvania, a neighborhood with a rough reputation and a known location of the Warlocks Motorcycle Club, the police were certain they were heading in the right direction. Acting on this lead, they executed a search warrant at the Warlocks clubhouse and discovered blood splatters on one of the walls. The samples were sent for DNA testing, but while waiting for the results, the investigation progressed further.
The police soon spoke to Donna Morelli, the owner of the clubhouse and the unofficial leader of the Warlocks. She confirmed that Michael DeLuca was involved in Keith Palumbo’s disappearance and confirmed that he had shot him at the clubhouse. However, the investigation hit a roadblock when they realized that DeLuca, the person everyone was implicating, had himself gone missing. The police executed a search warrant at Donna’s house, which opened up to the Mount Moriah Cemetery. After reviewing CCTV footage, they spotted DeLuca and Evans carrying something from the house and entering the cemetery. This prompted a search operation involving more than 50 officers in the area.
During the search, they discovered a small gap between a slab and the ground. Upon opening it, they found a crypt where Keith’s body had been discarded. DeLuca was later arrested by police in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Evans was also charged as an accomplice. Another man named Billy Gibson was also charged as an accomplice. Donna was granted immunity for her cooperation with the investigation, and she revealed that the murder stemmed from DeLuca’s distrust of his friend.
Michael DeLuca is Behind Bars Today
Before his involvement in Keith Palumbo’s murder case, Michael DeLuca had been arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming, after being pulled over for speeding and found in possession of a firearm. In 2021, he pleaded guilty to third-degree murder in the case of Keith Palumbo and was sentenced to 15 to 35 years in prison. This was in addition to a 10-year sentence from the Wyoming arrest, with both sentences to be served consecutively. Details regarding DeLuca’s current whereabouts have not been made public, and he still faces a long wait before becoming eligible for parole.
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