▁of ▁Peter ▁and ▁Joan ▁Por co ▁in ▁Del mar , ▁New ▁York . ▁ ▁Mur der ▁case ▁ ▁Background ▁On ▁November ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁Peter ▁Por co , ▁a ▁ 5 2 - year - old ▁state ▁App ell ate ▁Division ▁court ▁cl erk , ▁was ▁found ▁dead ▁of ▁massive ▁head ▁inj uries ▁in ▁his ▁home ▁in ▁Del mar , ▁New ▁York . ▁His ▁wife ▁Joan ▁Por co ▁( née ▁Bal z ano ), ▁a ▁children ' s ▁speech ▁path ologist , ▁was ▁discovered ▁lying ▁in ▁the ▁couple ' s ▁blood - d rench ed ▁bed ▁with ▁severe ▁head ▁tra uma ; ▁she ▁surv ived ▁the ▁attack , ▁but ▁lost ▁one ▁eye ▁and ▁part ▁of ▁her ▁sk ull ▁and ▁suffered ▁severe ▁fa cial ▁dis figure ment . ▁ ▁An ▁ax e ▁belonging ▁to ▁the ▁family , ▁which ▁was ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁attack , ▁was ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁couple ' s ▁bed room . ▁Beth le hem ▁Police ▁soon ▁focused ▁their ▁investigation ▁on ▁Christopher ▁Por co , ▁the ▁younger ▁of ▁the ▁couple ' s ▁two ▁sons , ▁who ▁was ▁a ▁student ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Ro chester ▁ 2 3 0 ▁miles ▁away . ▁Christopher ▁Por co ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Ro chester ▁when ▁his ▁parents ▁were ▁discovered . ▁He ▁later ▁said ▁he ▁learned ▁of ▁the ▁attack ▁from ▁a ▁rep orter . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁Del mar ▁that ▁evening . ▁ ▁Pro sec ution ▁In ▁late ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁out going ▁Alb