DNA Match Leads to Arrest in 25-Year-Old Murder Case

On Jan. 31, 1982, her mother found the body of 19-year-old Michele Mika facedown in bed with an eight-inch carving knife stuck in her back.

[Joyce]

I was a teacher at Ridgefield Park High School at the time of this murder ... and I seem to remember that Angelo Speziale was one of the teens that was in the documentary movie called "Scared Straight" ... is there some way to verify this??

[Girl]

yes, you are right...i saw that documentary in high school and recognized him immediately!!

[woman]

Joyce wrote:

I was a teacher at Ridgefield Park High School at the time of this murder ... and I seem to remember that Angelo Speziale was one of the teens that was in the documentary movie called "Scared Straight" ... is there some way to verify this??

go to you tube and put scared straight in the search option

[Brandon]

I grew up on Emerson Street two blocks from the house where the murder took place. My brother knew Michele well. It was common knowledge that Speziale was a hot head. My stepmother overheard him once night yelling in her friends driveway at his then girlfriend. I think he was even Michele's neighbor.

[McDonald]

I worked with Michele at McDonald's in Little Ferry. Also, there was a Lucy Speziale that worked there - I assumed she was related to Angelo, as I know she lived on the same street as Michele.
I was always horrified about the 8 inch knofe -- Michele was so thin that she didn't have 8 inches to her.

[kath]

Joyce wrote:

I was a teacher at Ridgefield Park High School at the time of this murder ... and I seem to remember that Angelo Speziale was one of the teens that was in the documentary movie called "Scared Straight" ... is there some way to verify this??

yes he was

[JOYCE]

IF YOU WERE A TEACHER BACK THEN, THEN YOU KNOW ME...
I GRADUATED WITH MICHELLE AND HUNG OUT WITH HER, AND HOW THE PAPER SAID SHE DIDN'T KNOW HIM IS BEYOND ME. WE ALL WENT TO PARTIES 2 GETHER...T.BALLARD

[Cathy T]

That's what I said... we ALL went to parties together for years.
Ironically I purchased Scared Straight on DVD just 2 weeks before this arrest. While watching with my son I pointed Angelo out and said he's suspected of murder.
So when I heard I got chills... Finally.
If you watch the video watch the 20 year interviews and laugh at the lies.
I know I do.

[Classof81]

Mrs. O'? I think I remember you. You taught Algebra, right. Anyway, that is him in the documentary. Go to you tube, part 8 or 9, 2 minutes in is Angelo. Have fun in Jail and Hell Angelo.....

Joyce wrote:

I was a teacher at Ridgefield Park High School at the time of this murder ... and I seem to remember that Angelo Speziale was one of the teens that was in the documentary movie called "Scared Straight" ... is there some way to verify this??

[S Cosmanic]

Michelle used to babysit me and my sister on orchard street. I was almost 12 at the time of her murder. Angelo was the prime suspect even back then.... I am glad they got the rat... Hope he rots...

[Class0f81]

How pathetic were the detectives not to have nailed him in '82?

[jimmy h]

Joyce wrote:

I was a teacher at Ridgefield Park High School at the time of this murder ... and I seem to remember that Angelo Speziale was one of the teens that was in the documentary movie called "Scared Straight" ... is there some way to verify this??

yes it is. i was a good friend of michelles and still cant believe he was there with us at the funeral

[jimmy hughes]

we used to hang out michelles and watch movies.i have to say besides mourning the loss of a good friend having the police grill me and my friends and then again a year later didnt make it any easier. the real tragedy was a young pretty girl was robbed of so much life and love.

[rptownie]

jimmy hughes wrote:

we used to hang out michelles and watch movies.i have to say besides mourning the loss of a good friend having the police grill me and my friends and then again a year later didnt make it any easier. the real tragedy was a young pretty girl was robbed of so much life and love.

Did he ever admit to anyone? I remember everyone knew he did it. Why could they never prove it was him?

[rptownie Ridgefield Park]

Does anyone know if her family suspected it was him?

[Lynn Phoenix AZ]

I remember being horrified that such a crime had been committed in RP, having always, always thought I was safe there, it brought a sense of insecurity to me that has never left. I am wondering what else he might have done while a teenager???

[mthiemann]

I don't think he ever admitted to anyone but he talked about it a lot in town. He talked to me and one of my friends in the park down by the high school for over an hour about it. We were young and it scared the @%@% out of us. I didn't know her but that conversation made me think about her through the years and wondered when the killer would be caught. It was a great day when he was!!

[kath]

This was a terrible loss, my heart goes out to her family and friends but remember in this Great Country we live in, people are innocent until proven guilty. Let's hope they have the right person. I will wait until all the evidence is in.

[rp townie]

kath wrote:

This was a terrible loss, my heart goes out to her family and friends but remember in this Great Country we live in, people are innocent until proven guilty. Let's hope they have the right person. I will wait until all the evidence is in.

The DNA matches. I guess you think OJ is really innocent. Hope your not one of the jurors

[Dolly Dagger]

Thanks to Speziale's petty larceny and the DNA that went on record because of it,he truly screwed himself. But you know he didn't read his Shakespeare-"murder will out"....murder most foul. He wasn't scared straight...he was scared stupid.