Aprile Case Info - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

justins5256 · 08-16-2006, 11:52 AM

Paper: The Tampa Tribune
Title: Detective sued in disappearance case
Author: ORVAL JACKSON
Date: June 15, 1991
Section: FLORIDA/METRO
Page: 8

An investigative and security company and one of its private detectives have been accused of helping a woman spirit her children away from her husband and out of the country. Jimmy V. Aprile filed suit Friday in Hillsborough County Circuit against Gerry Oglesby and Intelligence Group Inc., a Hillsborough County firm doing business as Dark Invaders Investigations.

The suit, which seeks unspecified damages, contends Oglesby was hired in 1988 by Melvine Aprile to take action to change the names, Social Security numbers and birth certificates of the couple's two minor children, forge and change their school records, and witness the forgery of Jimmy Aprile's signature on deeds conveying his property to his wife.

The suit also contends Oglesby received $24,000 for the work, which allowed Melvine Aprile to take the children from the area.

Melvine Aprile was sentenced in January to five years in prison for skimming an estimated $2.4 million from Jimmy Aprile's real estate holdings and financial investments. She also was placed on 20 years of probation and ordered to pay restitution of $302,077.43 to Jimmy Aprile.

She was convicted in September of 20 charges including grand theft, forgery and uttering forged instruments.

The Aprile case was featured on the ""Unsolved Mysteries'' television series. But prosecutors said authorities developed their own leads that led to the arrest last year of Melvine Aprile in Costa Rica, where she had fled with her two children in January 1989.

Author: ORVAL JACKSON
Section: FLORIDA/METRO
Page: 8
Dateline: TAMPA

Copyright 1991 The Tribune Co.

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Paper: St. Petersburg Times
Title: Woman sentenced for taking from husband
Author: RACHEL L. SWARNS
Date: January 5, 1991
Section: BRANDON TIMESTAMPA
Page: 3; 3

A 40-year-old woman convicted of stealing thousands of dollars from her husband and fleeing to Costa Rica with their children was sentenced Friday to five years in prison to be followed by 20 years' probation.Melvine Aprile also was ordered to pay $302,077 in restitution to her husband, Jimmy, after her release from prison.

Aprile plans to appeal the judge's decision, her attorney said.

Taking property that is jointly owned can't be classified as stealing, contends Assistant Public Defender Stuart Sheres, who argued during the trial that the money was shared by the couple.

""I think it was a plan to liquidate the assets and run,'' said prosecu-tor Chip Purcell, who applauded the judge's sentence. ""She didn't want to split it in half. She wanted it all.''

Purcell said Mrs. Aprile sold her husband's real estate, altered deeds and mortgages and forged checks for three years after two heart attacks kept her husband from overseeing the couple's business. She even got a friend to pose as her husband during a real estate deal, the prosecutor said.

The defense said Mrs. Aprile copied her husband's signatures at his request. The money passed through her hands, but it wasn't stolen, her lawyer said.

The property, which included apartment complexes and undeveloped land in Hillsborough County, was jointly owned.

When Jimmy V. Aprile Jr. came home after church one day in January 1989, he found his home and bank accounts empty. FBI and Interpol agents found his family in Costa Rica a year later.

Mrs. Aprile was working at the Costa Rican school her 13-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son attended. She was arrested in March after being featured on the television show Unsolved Mysteries.

In September, Mrs. Aprile was found guilty of 20 counts, including charges of forgery, cashing forged checks and grand theft.

She was found innocent of seven similar counts, which seems to indicate that jurors believed Mrs. Aprile when she testified she didn't steal $9,000 from a mortgage. She said she reinvested it in the couple's real estate business.

""All in all, I think it's fair,'' defense attorney Sheres said of the judge's sentence. But he said he didn't know how she could everafford to pay the restitution.

""She used to be a school teacher and now she's a convicted felon,'' Sheres said. ""I don't know how much money she'll be able to make once she's out of prison.''

Caption:
Melvine Aprile

Caption:
BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO, Times files

Author: RACHEL L. SWARNS
Section: BRANDON TIMESTAMPA
Page: 3; 3
Dateline: TAMPA

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Paper: St. Petersburg Times
Title: Plane lands on interstate
Author: JAY PITTS
Date: January 5, 1991
Section: TAMPA BAY AND STATE
Page: 3B

A single-engine plane landed in the northbound lanes of Interstate 275 about four or five miles from the Pasco County line Friday night, slowing traffic but causing no injuries, Hillsborough County sheriff's officials said. The Navaho aircraft, which landed about 11:30 p.m., had fuel in its tank, officials said. Sheriff's officials said late Friday they did not know how many people were in the plane or why it was landed on the interstate.Wounded boy improves

TAMPA A 14-year-old boy who was injured as he and his stepfather fired a shotgun into the air to celebrate the new year improved from critical to serious condition Friday at Tampa General Hospital, officials said. Jason Milian was shot in the face and scalp shortly after midnight Monday with a 12-gauge shotgun he got for Christmas. Witnesses said Jason went outside his house North Lakes and shot one or two rounds into the air, then gave the gun to his stepfather, Joseph Diez, 37, who was holding it when the boy was shot. Authorities said Friday no charges had been filed against Diez. The state attorney's office is reviewing the case.

Boy's condition unchanged

TAMPA A 2-year-old boy who lost his arm when he was hit by a garbage truck remained in critical condition at Tampa General Hospital on Friday night, hospital officials said. Aubrey Hadley of 2804 E Durham St. was playing at Durham and 28th streets Monday when he ran in front of a truck, witnesses said. He lost both his leg and arm in the accident. Surgeons reattached Aubrey's leg, but hospital officials said Friday they still would have to wait several more days to see whether the surg ery was successful. The driver of the truck was not charged.

Inmates at group home

accused of beating worker

SEFFNER Three teen-age inmates at a group home for mentally handicapped children with criminal records have been charged with aggravated battery in the beating of an employee, authorities said.

The attack with fists and a telephone receiver follows several other incidents at the Hillsborough Alternative Residential Program (HARP) in Seffner, operated by the state Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS).

Two 17-year-olds and a 14-year-old were arrested Thursday and taken to a detention center in Tampa. Their names were not released because they are juveniles.

Sabrina Polite, 30, a detention care worker at HARP, told officers she was attacked in her work area about 7:15 p.m. Wednesday. She suffered a cut on her finger and bumps and bruises on her head.

Several weeks ago, Larry E. Barton, 22, a HARP child-care worker, was charged with having sex with two teen-age boys at the home.

Also, HARP was investigated by state officials last spring after a 17-year-old inmate was charged with raping another inmate. He was sent back to HARP after sentencing and raped the same boy again. He is now in prison.

And, seven HARP employees have been fired since spring for reasons including using drugs on the job and falsifying applications.

Caption:
Sevell Brown; Melvine Aprile (ran C, S); Elio Cerezo (ran C, S); Jessie Sansing stands in front of the pole where his flag once flew (ran C, T); Sandy Dewberry walking her dogs, Sabby, Bump, Char, Bear and Beast in St. Petersburg (ran S, T)

Caption:
BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO, (3)BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO, Bob MorelandBLACK AND WHITE PHOTO, Joe Walles

Author: JAY PITTS
Section: TAMPA BAY AND STATE
Page: 3B
Dateline: TAMPASEFFNER

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Paper: The Tampa Tribune
Title: Wife sentenced for bilking husband
Author: ORVAL JACKSON
Date: January 5, 1991
Section: FLORIDA/METRO
Page: 2

The former wife of a once-wealthy Tampa businessman was sentenced Friday to five years in prison for skimming an estimated $2.4 million from his real estate holdings and financial investments. Melvine Matthews Aprile, 40, also was placed on 20 years' probation and ordered to pay restitution of $302,077.43 to Jimmy Aprile.

Hillsborough Circuit Judge Susan C. Bucklew ordered Melvine Aprile to begin making monthly payments of $1,258.66 within 60 days of her release from prison.

""The practical matter is that you will spend very little prison time,'' Bucklew said. ""If there is no money, if it is not hidden away somewhere, you're going to have to pay it off in monthly payments.''

Melvine Aprile gets credit for being in jail since her arrest last March, and with prison gain time she will earn, attorneys said she probably will spend one year in state prison.

She was convicted in September of 20 charges including grand theft, forgery and uttering forged instruments. Sentencing was delayed until court-ordered appraisals were made on property Melvine Aprile either disposed of or which was foreclosed upon.

The Aprile case was featured on the ""Unsolved Mysteries'' television series, but prosecutors said law enforcement authorities developed their own leads that led to her arrest in Costa Rica, where she had fled with her two children in January 1989.

Prosecutors said Jimmy Aprile turned over the day-to-day business affairs to his wife after suffering a heart attack almost nine years ago. They said she switched the couple's properties into her name and began liquidating portfolios.

Assistant State Attorney Chip Purcell said Jimmy Aprile lost $1.4 million in real estate and $1 million in cash and said he believes the woman has the money stashed.

Assistant Public Defender Stuart Sheres argued most of the refinancing by the woman was done to keep the business afloat.

Author: ORVAL JACKSON
Section: FLORIDA/METRO
Page: 2
Dateline: TAMPA

Copyright 1991 The Tribune Co.

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Paper: The Tampa Tribune
Title: Ex-wife expected to get 5-year sentence
Author: ORVAL JACKSON
Date: October 27, 1990
Section: METRO
Page: 8B

TAMPA -- The former wife of a once-wealthy real estate business owner will be sentenced to five years in prison for skimming hundreds of thousands of dollars from his holdings and financial investments. Melvine Matthews Aprile, 40, was convicted Sept. 20 of 20 charges including grand theft, forgery and uttering forged instruments.

Hillsborough Circuit Judge Susan C. Bucklew told the woman Friday she had decided upon a five-year sentence, but was grappling with the length of probation and amount of restitution.

Bucklew said she will formally sentence Aprile on Friday.

The woman has been in the county jail since March, when she was returned to Tampa after being captured in Costa Rica. Prosecutors claimed she fled to Costa Rica with her two children in January 1989.

The case was featured on the "Unsolved Mysteries" television series, but prosecutors said law enforcement authorities developed their own leads that led to Aprile.

Prosecutors said Jimmy Aprile turned over the day-to-day business affairs to his wife after he suffered a heart attack about eight years ago. They said she switched the couple's properties into her name and began liquidating portfolios.

Assistant State Attorney Chip Purcell said during the trial Jimmy Aprile's business is now a bust, and he and his two children live on Social Security payments and share a house with his parents.

Purcell told Bucklew Friday large amounts of money still are unaccounted. "I suspect it is in Costa Rica or in banking institutions in our own country awaiting the trip to Costa Rica," Purcell said.

Assistant Public Defender Stuart Sheres said most of the refinancing the woman carried out was done to keep the business afloat, and said the family's lifestyle did not suffer during the time. "I just don't believe she is an embezzler or a thief," he said.

Bucklew and the attorneys went through the financial transactions line by line Friday. Purcell contends Jimmy Aprile should be reimbursed for his losses at today's prices. Sheres argued the value should be what the property was worth at the time, with restitution only half of that because the property belonged to both.

State sentencing guidelines call for a 3 1/2- to 5 1/2-year prison term. The probation office's pre-sentence investigation report recommended five years with 30 years' probation. Purcell asked for 10 years, while Sheres asked for a suspended sentence so Aprile could go to work and begin restitution.

Caption:
MELVINE APRILE

Caption:
PHOTO

Author: ORVAL JACKSON
Section: METRO
Page: 8B

Copyright 1990 The Tribune Co.

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Paper: The Tampa Tribune
Title: Cameras roll for update - Gathering staged for TV program
Author: SALATHEIA BRYANT
Date: October 13, 1990
Section: SOUTH BAY
Page: 5

TEMPLE TERRACE -- Sheri and Tony Aprile had trouble keeping their eyes from sneaking a peek at the camera. The lights, microphone, camera and crew seemed to interfere with the fun the siblings were having, but the children were making the best of the situation.

They tried to focus on rolling the bowling ball properly so they would not leave any pins standing.

"I'm getting better. This time I only left two pins," Sheri said to her father, Jimmy Aprile.

But Thursday's outing at Imperial Lanes bowling alley in Temple Terrace wasn't a normal family get-together for the Aprile family.

It was a special gathering staged for the NBC television show "Unsolved Mysteries."

The family hopes the taping will conclude their 14-month ordeal that began when the Sheri and Tony were taken to Costa Rica by their mother.

Jimmy and Melvine Aprile had been married 20 years when in January 1989 Melvine Aprile disappeared with their two children and $2 million in assets belonging to her husband.

The case was first aired on the television program, that highlights unsolved crimes, in January 1990.

In March, Melvine Aprile was returned to the United States and was convicted on grand theft and uttering forged instrument charges. She will be sentenced Oct. 26, officials said.

Jimmy Aprile said Thursday he is just glad to have his children back and the incident behind them.

"I don't think we'll ever really be the same again," Aprile said. "They are the real victims in this case. They went through a tremendous experience.

"It was a horrible time. I was constantly in the state of terror," he said.

Aprile said he is grateful to the television show because it played a role in intensifying the search for the children.

Laura Patterson, the segment's director, said the update is scheduled to run sometime this fall.

She said they will emphasize the family's reunion.

"We felt we had a part in it," Patterson said. "We wanted to celebrate the homecoming of the kids. We wanted to show the family reunited as a family."

The children were reunited with their father in March at Miami International Airport.

Aprile said the children's lives have slowly returned to normal. He said they are in school and are receiving counseling.

As for him, he is writing a book about the incident. He also said he has been approached for movie rights to the story.

Caption:
(BR)A crew from NBC's "Unsolved Mysteries" films the Aprile family in action at Imperial Lanes Thursday. Sheri and Tony Aprile were reunited with their father in March. Tribune photograph by CANDACE C. MUNDYA crew from NBC's "Unsolved Mysteries" films the Aprile family at Imperial Lanes Thursday. Sheri and Tony Aprile were reunited with their father in March. Tribune photograph by CANDACE C. MUNDY

Caption:
PHOTO

Author: SALATHEIA BRYANT
Section: SOUTH BAY
Page: 5

Copyright 1990 The Tribune Co.

****************************************************

Paper: The Tampa Tribune
Title: Woman convicted of fleecing husband
Author: A Tribune Staff Report
Date: September 21, 1990
Section: METRO
Page: 4B

TAMPA -- The ex-wife of a once-wealthy real estate business owner was found guilty Thursday of 20 charges including grand theft, forgery and uttering forged instruments. Melvine Matthews Aprile must remain in jail until she is sentenced next month by Hillsborough Circuit Judge Susan C. Bucklew. State sentencing guidelines call for a 3 1/2- to 5 1/2-year prison term.

The state had filed 27 charges against Aprile, but the six-member jury found her not guilty on seven counts after deliberating for 3 1/2 hours.

Aprile, 40, has been in jail since March, when she was returned to Hillsborough County after being captured in Costa Rica.

Prosecutors claimed she had skimmed hundreds of thousands of dollars from her husband's real estate holdings and financial investments before fleeing the county in January 1989 with their two children.

The case was featured on the "Unsolved Mysteries" television series, but prosecutors said law enforcement authorities developed their own leads that lead to Aprile.

About eight years ago, prosecutors said Jimmy Aprile had turned over the day-to-day business affairs to his wife after he suffered a heart attack. Prosecutors said that's when Melvine Aprile began switching the couple's properties into her name and liquidating portfolios.

Her attorney, Assistant Public Defender Stuart Sheres argued that Aprile was simply trying to take care of the family and keep the businesses operating through refinancing loans and selling properties.

Jimmy Aprile's business is now a bust, and he and his two children live on Social Security payments and have to share a house with his parents, said Assistant Hillsborough State Attorney Chip Purcell.

After the verdict, Jimmy Aprile said he was trying to forgive his ex-wife.

"We have no great anger or bitterness," he said. "I feel we got excellent justice."

Author: A Tribune Staff Report
Section: METRO
Page: 4B

Copyright 1990 The Tribune Co.

****************************************************

Paper: St. Petersburg Times
Title: Prosecutors say wife stole money and fled
Author: RACHEL L. SWARNS
Date: September 19, 1990
Section: BRANDON TIMESTAMPALARGO-SEMINOLE TIMES
Page: 1; 1; 3

They were college sweethearts, married for 20 years. So when two heart attacks shattered Jimmy V. Aprile Jr.'s health, he trusted his wife, Melvine, to care for his millions.Instead, prosecutors said, she stole nearly $2-million and fled to Costa Rica with their two children.

""Mrs. Aprile violated the trust of her husband, friends and business associates,'' prosecutor Chip Purcell said during opening arguments Tuesday in Mrs. Aprile's trial.

Prosecutors said the 40-year-old woman sold off his real estate and altered deeds, mortgage notes and checks. She even got a friend to pose as her husband during a real estate deal, they said.

But Mrs. Aprile has denied any wrongdoing.

""I didn't steal any money,'' she said. ""I don't think I should pay restitution.''

The state has it all wrong, her lawyer told jurors. Mrs. Aprile copied her husband's signature on checks, but only at his request, he said. The money passed through her hands, but it wasn't stolen. All the property was jointly owned, he said.

Mrs. Aprile reinvested the money in their business and lost it when the local market grew sluggish, her attorney Stuart Sheres said.

""She did the best she could trying to run the business,'' he said.

Mrs. Aprile ran the business from the couple's California home for several years. They owned apartment complexes and undeveloped land throughout Hillsborough County.

In January 1989, Mr. Aprile came home from church to find his house empty. His wife and children had disappeared.

In a note, his wife urged him not to worry. She just wanted to get reacquainted with her youngsters.

But when police found her car abandoned at an airport, Mr. Aprile called his bank worried that kidnappers had abducted his family. Most of his money was gone.

Mrs. Aprile is accused of stealing about $300,000 in property and altering more than $200,000 in mortgages, $873,000 in notes and $345,000 in checks between 1985 and 1988.

She was arrested in March shortly after being featured on the television show Unsolved Mysteries.

Interpol and FBI agents found her working at the Costa Rican school her 13-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son were attending. She was charged with 27 counts of grand theft, cashing forged checks and grand theft.

The defense argues that Mrs. Aprile went to Costa Rica because she was tired of her marriage, not because she was a thief.

""She walked out on him,'' Sheres said. ""She'd had enough.''

Caption:
Melvine Aprile (ran in BT and TP only)

Caption:
BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO, ROBIN DONINA

Author: RACHEL L. SWARNS
Section: BRANDON TIMESTAMPALARGO-SEMINOLE TIMES
Page: 1; 1; 3
Dateline: TAMPA

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Paper: St. Petersburg Times
Title: Missing woman found, held in theft of husband's fortune
Author: RICHARD BOCKMAN
Date: March 20, 1990
Section: TAMPA BAY AND STATE
Page: 1B

When Jimmy V. Aprile Jr. returned from church, his wife and children had vanished. Figuring they had been abducted, he called his banks to freeze his assets. He didn't want the kidnappers raiding his millions.It was then he discovered the cupboard was bare. Virtually everything was gone.

Aprile told prosecutors that his wife had taken him for about $6-million. Hillsborough Assistant State Attorney Judy Hoyer said she told her investigator to stop looking after he had identified nearly $2-million that she says Melvine Matthews Aprile took by using false documents.

Last summer, Hoyer filed 27 charges against the 40-year-old woman. That's where the case sat until last week. The FBI and Interpol found Mrs. Aprile in Costa Rica. She was working at a school, the same school that the couple's 13-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son were attending.

She was arrested, and Monday she was flown to Miami. She is expected to be returned to Tampa today.

Hoyer provided this account:

Aprile, 41, met Melvine when both were students at the University of South Florida. They were married 20 years ago.

Aprile's father and brother were dairy farmers, but Aprile had a knack for real estate. He bought apartment complexes and undeveloped land throughout Hillsborough County.

He suffered a heart attack about eight years ago and took his doctor's advice to take it easy. That included turning over his business affairs to his wife.

""Then she begins a pattern of conduct, forging documents and taking all the cash and equity out of the properties,'' Hoyer said.

Mrs. Aprile persuaded her husband to sell their home in Carrollwood and move to California, where their son could better live with his asthma. She stayed behind in Tampa to tend to the real estate, commuting on weekends to their new home in Palo Alto, south of San Francisco.

In January 1989, Aprile attended church with the children's nanny and came home to a note from his wife. She wrote that he needn't worry, that she had taken the children for a while because she needed to get ""reacquainted'' with them.

Police found her car at the airport. Aprile assumed the worst, that his wife and children had been abducted. He feared that the kidnappers would use his wife to get access to his accounts, so he called Tampa to freeze them. That's when he discovered there was nothing left to freeze.

On Aug. 30, 1989, prosecutors filed the 27 counts against Melvine Aprile: six counts of grand theft, 20 counts of uttering a forged instrument and one count of forgery. According to the charges, she stole property and altered deeds, mortgage notes and checks.

She is accused of stealing nearly $300,000 in property and altering more than $200,000 in mortgages, $873,000 in notes and $354,000 in checks.

In January, the television show Unsolved Mysteries broadcast a segment on the case. The show called it, ""Life After Wife.''

The show produced many tips, Hoyer said, but not the one that led investigators to Costa Rica. She wouldn't elaborate.

Aprile said he didn't want to comment for fear of jeopardizing any chances of recovering any of his money. He also said his children have been returned to his custody, and he doesn't want to put them in the middle.

He did say his parents are keeping him afloat: ""All the money is gone.''

Author: RICHARD BOCKMAN
Section: TAMPA BAY AND STATE
Page: 1B
Dateline: TAMPA

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justins5256 · 08-16-2006, 11:53 AM

Jimmy Aprile is still alive as of 5/6/2006. I found some real estate transactions in Tampa under his name. Quite a few actually. Seems like he's back in business.

EDIT: I have the update about Melvine's capture on tape. The bowling segment mentioned in the article isn't there. I guess they decided not to air it(?)

crystaldawn · 08-16-2006, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justins5256

Jimmy Aprile is still alive as of 5/6/2006. I found some real estate transactions in Tampa under his name. Quite a few actually. Seems like he's back in business.

EDIT: I have the update about Melvine's capture on tape. The bowling segment mentioned in the article isn't there. I guess they decided not to air it(?)

Thanks for posting them, very interesting. Melvine is a real piece of work not thinking she's done anything wrong and shouldn't have to pay anything back! I think she should have had to spend a lot more than a year in jail. I don't really understand why if she stole over $2 million that she only has to pay back a few hundred grand. Yes I was going to ask you if you'd seen the update (interesting about the bowling scene being edited). I'm glad they were reunited with their father rather quickly. I assume Melvine still got to have some visitation rights with her children because technically she didn't kidnap them.

I found it strange that LE doesn't seem to want to give UM any credit for helping capture her. They made a point of saying that although it aired on UM they developed their own leads. People in Costa Rica were probably watching UM at that time and could have called in tips.

I'm glad to hear he's still alive as UM really made it sound like his health was very precarious.

A bit off topic but didn't you find it amazing the amount of weight Jimmy Aprille lost in that short of time by "crash dieting" as RS said?

Any thoughts?

justins5256 · 08-16-2006, 01:40 PM

Crash dieting, huh...I don't remember that, but it's been awhile since I watched the story. I do remember thinking that Aprile's appearance during the interview segments bore no resemblance to the old photos, specifically those in which he was overweight. He looked a lot more frail during his UM interview. His health already being compromised, I wonder if his condition worsened after Melvine took off with the cash and kids. It must have been pretty taxing emotionally, and probably physically too.

I wonder what the outcome of his lawsuit was. I suppose I can understand his rationale for suing the detective agency, but I got the impression Melvine duped the PIs as well. Didn't she tell them her husband was involved in the mafia and that her life was in danger? I suppose they could have checked into her allegations, but that wasn't what they were being paid to do. Sounds to me like they just did the job she paid them to do. Whether they broke any laws in doing so is anyone's guess. Due to my brief stint as a PI, I feel confident in saying that some of a PI's duties border on illegal. For example, the agency I worked for did some things that were definitely NOT legal.

crystaldawn · 08-17-2006, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justins5256

Crash dieting, huh...I don't remember that, but it's been awhile since I watched the story.

I just rewatched that part to clarify. RS said Jimmy began crash dieting and lost 209 lbs. in 6 months...wow!

As far as him suing the agency there's another topic to debate. Should PI agencies be held accountable for the work they do? I think they should to some extent. They're obviously pretty intelligent guys to be in that field and if their client tells them something they believe is questionable then they have an obligation to check it out if for no other reason than to cover their own butts should something like this arise. Plus with the resources they have on hand it wouldn't be hard to double check stories. I was watching a PI show and a man said he was hired to find someone's ex-wife and was told that he wanted to locate her so he could find his kids. The PI located her and the ex-husband shot and killed her which was his motive all along. I know they can't tell when everyone's lying but they should be obligated to check out any stories they're being told that seem suspicious.

sdb4884 · 12-06-2009, 09:04 AM

just saw this case again, glad to see the bitch was caught. Hopefully the kids re-united with their father.

Mysteryphile · 12-06-2009, 10:20 AM

Came on here looking for an update after watching this case. So glad she was caught (but barely any jail time and she hardly had to pay back anything

)

I am especially glad the kids are back with thier father and he's doing well (as of 2006 anyway) what a tragedy it would have been if he had died while thier mother had them and they would have missed out on being with their father the little time he had left.

Wamisto · 06-28-2010, 12:49 PM

I agree she was a piece of work, but he wasn't exactly a class act either. He was married to his job (even though he had more than enough to live off) and thus spent little time with his wife and children. Plus, the segment showed him to be a short-tempered, belligerent man who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and thought the world should just revolve around him. And when he talks about his wife being the "epitome of greed and selflishness"

Talk about pot and kettle! Takes one to know one I guess. What a doosy! And I laughed when he said he wanted to "undo the damage the mother has caused", and said to myself, "yep, she was probably saying the same thing, but about 'the father', when she took the kids".

I hate to say this, but he brought it on himself, and I would even go so far as to say he got what he deserved. Sorry to be such a heartless jerk, but I am glad he lost it all.

For anyone who says I am jumping to conclusions and question me as to how I could know this about him - remember, it's UM: they leave out A LOT, and especially that which makes the victim much less sympathetic. But UM also IMPLIES a lot - just remember that if you re-watch the segment.

crystaldawn · 06-28-2010, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wamisto

I agree she was a piece of work, but he wasn't exactly a class act either. He was married to his job (even though he had more than enough to live off) and thus spent little time with his wife and children. Plus, the segment showed him to be a short-tempered, belligerent man who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and thought the world should just revolve around him. And when he talks about his wife being the "epitome of greed and selflishness"

Talk about pot and kettle! Takes one to know one I guess. What a doosy! And I laughed when he said he wanted to "undo the damage the mother has caused", and said to myself, "yep, she was probably saying the same thing, but about 'the father', when she took the kids".

I hate to say this, but he brought it on himself, and I would even go so far as to say he got what he deserved. Sorry to be such a heartless jerk, but I am glad he lost it all.

For anyone who says I am jumping to conclusions and question me as to how I could know this about him - remember, it's UM: they leave out A LOT, and especially that which makes the victim much less sympathetic. But UM also IMPLIES a lot - just remember that if you re-watch the segment.

Wow I must say I'm surprised at your opinions on this case. Personally I think the wife came across as a total loser. I don't know about his character as they didn't really get into that much but it seemed she was little more than a gold digger. I believe it said she came from no money and he did come from wealth. They both worked hard and from what the segment said she was gone from her children A LOT because she claimed in the note that was why she took them away. Bottom line in my opinion the greed comes in because she did so many shady dealings to acquire ALL of the money they had. If she was unhappy in her marriage she should have just gotten a divorce and been happy with half or more she would have been awarded but she for some strange reason thought she should get every penny. It makes you wonder if she even married for love in the first place.

Wamisto · 06-30-2010, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

Wow I must say I'm surprised at your opinions on this case. Personally I think the wife came across as a total loser.

I will grant you that. I think she is pretty low-life too. Which is why I think these two were perfect for each other.

Of course, if I am wrong about the conclusions I have drawn about him, I take that back. But I don't think I am.

kristen3192001 · 07-19-2010, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wamisto

I will grant you that. I think she is pretty low-life too. Which is why I think these two were perfect for each other.

Of course, if I am wrong about the conclusions I have drawn about him, I take that back. But I don't think I am.

Hello,
My name is Kristen Aprile. I was curious to know how you were able to watch the episode of the Aprile case I cant seem to find the video. I would appreciate your help, Thank you!

WishfulDreamer · 07-20-2010, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kristen3192001

Hello,
My name is Kristen Aprile. I was curious to know how you were able to watch the episode of the Aprile case I cant seem to find the video. I would appreciate your help, Thank you!

It's on a very popular video site I can't mention here (mentioned in the Sticky at the top of the forum). When on this site, Aprile is spelled "Aprille" for some reason.

mattc · 09-20-2010, 07:46 PM

I just watched this segment too, and, once again, we have Unsolved Mysteries to thank for putting a criminal behind bars!!!! I didn't know until I read this thread that it was the show that ultimately got her caught!!!!! Go Stack.

killgas20 · 06-06-2013, 07:22 PM

It appears her probation is done.

http://mugshots.com/US-Counties/Flor...32126/details/

DazzlerSparkler · 06-14-2015, 03:27 AM

I wonder how her kids are. Found a Tony Aprile on FB but idk if its him. Did the father ever get his life back to normal?

08-16-2006, 11:52 AM	#1
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	Aprile Case Info Paper: The Tampa Tribune Title: Detective sued in disappearance case Author: ORVAL JACKSON Date: June 15, 1991 Section: FLORIDA/METRO Page: 8 An investigative and security company and one of its private detectives have been accused of helping a woman spirit her children away from her husband and out of the country. Jimmy V. Aprile filed suit Friday in Hillsborough County Circuit against Gerry Oglesby and Intelligence Group Inc., a Hillsborough County firm doing business as Dark Invaders Investigations. The suit, which seeks unspecified damages, contends Oglesby was hired in 1988 by Melvine Aprile to take action to change the names, Social Security numbers and birth certificates of the couple's two minor children, forge and change their school records, and witness the forgery of Jimmy Aprile's signature on deeds conveying his property to his wife. The suit also contends Oglesby received $24,000 for the work, which allowed Melvine Aprile to take the children from the area. Melvine Aprile was sentenced in January to five years in prison for skimming an estimated $2.4 million from Jimmy Aprile's real estate holdings and financial investments. She also was placed on 20 years of probation and ordered to pay restitution of $302,077.43 to Jimmy Aprile. She was convicted in September of 20 charges including grand theft, forgery and uttering forged instruments. The Aprile case was featured on the ""Unsolved Mysteries'' television series. But prosecutors said authorities developed their own leads that led to the arrest last year of Melvine Aprile in Costa Rica, where she had fled with her two children in January 1989. Author: ORVAL JACKSON Section: FLORIDA/METRO Page: 8 Dateline: TAMPA Copyright 1991 The Tribune Co. ************************************************** Paper: St. Petersburg Times Title: Woman sentenced for taking from husband Author: RACHEL L. SWARNS Date: January 5, 1991 Section: BRANDON TIMESTAMPA Page: 3; 3 A 40-year-old woman convicted of stealing thousands of dollars from her husband and fleeing to Costa Rica with their children was sentenced Friday to five years in prison to be followed by 20 years' probation.Melvine Aprile also was ordered to pay $302,077 in restitution to her husband, Jimmy, after her release from prison. Aprile plans to appeal the judge's decision, her attorney said. Taking property that is jointly owned can't be classified as stealing, contends Assistant Public Defender Stuart Sheres, who argued during the trial that the money was shared by the couple. ""I think it was a plan to liquidate the assets and run,'' said prosecu-tor Chip Purcell, who applauded the judge's sentence. ""She didn't want to split it in half. She wanted it all.'' Purcell said Mrs. Aprile sold her husband's real estate, altered deeds and mortgages and forged checks for three years after two heart attacks kept her husband from overseeing the couple's business. She even got a friend to pose as her husband during a real estate deal, the prosecutor said. The defense said Mrs. Aprile copied her husband's signatures at his request. The money passed through her hands, but it wasn't stolen, her lawyer said. The property, which included apartment complexes and undeveloped land in Hillsborough County, was jointly owned. When Jimmy V. Aprile Jr. came home after church one day in January 1989, he found his home and bank accounts empty. FBI and Interpol agents found his family in Costa Rica a year later. Mrs. Aprile was working at the Costa Rican school her 13-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son attended. She was arrested in March after being featured on the television show Unsolved Mysteries. In September, Mrs. Aprile was found guilty of 20 counts, including charges of forgery, cashing forged checks and grand theft. She was found innocent of seven similar counts, which seems to indicate that jurors believed Mrs. Aprile when she testified she didn't steal $9,000 from a mortgage. She said she reinvested it in the couple's real estate business. ""All in all, I think it's fair,'' defense attorney Sheres said of the judge's sentence. But he said he didn't know how she could everafford to pay the restitution. ""She used to be a school teacher and now she's a convicted felon,'' Sheres said. ""I don't know how much money she'll be able to make once she's out of prison.'' Caption: Melvine Aprile Caption: BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO, Times files Author: RACHEL L. SWARNS Section: BRANDON TIMESTAMPA Page: 3; 3 Dateline: TAMPA ************************************************ Paper: St. Petersburg Times Title: Plane lands on interstate Author: JAY PITTS Date: January 5, 1991 Section: TAMPA BAY AND STATE Page: 3B A single-engine plane landed in the northbound lanes of Interstate 275 about four or five miles from the Pasco County line Friday night, slowing traffic but causing no injuries, Hillsborough County sheriff's officials said. The Navaho aircraft, which landed about 11:30 p.m., had fuel in its tank, officials said. Sheriff's officials said late Friday they did not know how many people were in the plane or why it was landed on the interstate.Wounded boy improves TAMPA A 14-year-old boy who was injured as he and his stepfather fired a shotgun into the air to celebrate the new year improved from critical to serious condition Friday at Tampa General Hospital, officials said. Jason Milian was shot in the face and scalp shortly after midnight Monday with a 12-gauge shotgun he got for Christmas. Witnesses said Jason went outside his house North Lakes and shot one or two rounds into the air, then gave the gun to his stepfather, Joseph Diez, 37, who was holding it when the boy was shot. Authorities said Friday no charges had been filed against Diez. The state attorney's office is reviewing the case. Boy's condition unchanged TAMPA A 2-year-old boy who lost his arm when he was hit by a garbage truck remained in critical condition at Tampa General Hospital on Friday night, hospital officials said. Aubrey Hadley of 2804 E Durham St. was playing at Durham and 28th streets Monday when he ran in front of a truck, witnesses said. He lost both his leg and arm in the accident. Surgeons reattached Aubrey's leg, but hospital officials said Friday they still would have to wait several more days to see whether the surg ery was successful. The driver of the truck was not charged. Inmates at group home accused of beating worker SEFFNER Three teen-age inmates at a group home for mentally handicapped children with criminal records have been charged with aggravated battery in the beating of an employee, authorities said. The attack with fists and a telephone receiver follows several other incidents at the Hillsborough Alternative Residential Program (HARP) in Seffner, operated by the state Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS). Two 17-year-olds and a 14-year-old were arrested Thursday and taken to a detention center in Tampa. Their names were not released because they are juveniles. Sabrina Polite, 30, a detention care worker at HARP, told officers she was attacked in her work area about 7:15 p.m. Wednesday. She suffered a cut on her finger and bumps and bruises on her head. Several weeks ago, Larry E. Barton, 22, a HARP child-care worker, was charged with having sex with two teen-age boys at the home. Also, HARP was investigated by state officials last spring after a 17-year-old inmate was charged with raping another inmate. He was sent back to HARP after sentencing and raped the same boy again. He is now in prison. And, seven HARP employees have been fired since spring for reasons including using drugs on the job and falsifying applications. Caption: Sevell Brown; Melvine Aprile (ran C, S); Elio Cerezo (ran C, S); Jessie Sansing stands in front of the pole where his flag once flew (ran C, T); Sandy Dewberry walking her dogs, Sabby, Bump, Char, Bear and Beast in St. Petersburg (ran S, T) Caption: BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO, (3)<p></p>BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO, Bob Moreland<p></p>BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO, Joe Walles Author: JAY PITTS Section: TAMPA BAY AND STATE Page: 3B Dateline: TAMPASEFFNER ************************************************ Paper: The Tampa Tribune Title: Wife sentenced for bilking husband Author: ORVAL JACKSON Date: January 5, 1991 Section: FLORIDA/METRO Page: 2 The former wife of a once-wealthy Tampa businessman was sentenced Friday to five years in prison for skimming an estimated $2.4 million from his real estate holdings and financial investments. Melvine Matthews Aprile, 40, also was placed on 20 years' probation and ordered to pay restitution of $302,077.43 to Jimmy Aprile. Hillsborough Circuit Judge Susan C. Bucklew ordered Melvine Aprile to begin making monthly payments of $1,258.66 within 60 days of her release from prison. ""The practical matter is that you will spend very little prison time,'' Bucklew said. ""If there is no money, if it is not hidden away somewhere, you're going to have to pay it off in monthly payments.'' Melvine Aprile gets credit for being in jail since her arrest last March, and with prison gain time she will earn, attorneys said she probably will spend one year in state prison. She was convicted in September of 20 charges including grand theft, forgery and uttering forged instruments. Sentencing was delayed until court-ordered appraisals were made on property Melvine Aprile either disposed of or which was foreclosed upon. The Aprile case was featured on the ""Unsolved Mysteries'' television series, but prosecutors said law enforcement authorities developed their own leads that led to her arrest in Costa Rica, where she had fled with her two children in January 1989. Prosecutors said Jimmy Aprile turned over the day-to-day business affairs to his wife after suffering a heart attack almost nine years ago. They said she switched the couple's properties into her name and began liquidating portfolios. Assistant State Attorney Chip Purcell said Jimmy Aprile lost $1.4 million in real estate and $1 million in cash and said he believes the woman has the money stashed. Assistant Public Defender Stuart Sheres argued most of the refinancing by the woman was done to keep the business afloat. Author: ORVAL JACKSON Section: FLORIDA/METRO Page: 2 Dateline: TAMPA Copyright 1991 The Tribune Co. ************************************************ Paper: The Tampa Tribune Title: Ex-wife expected to get 5-year sentence Author: ORVAL JACKSON Date: October 27, 1990 Section: METRO Page: 8B TAMPA -- The former wife of a once-wealthy real estate business owner will be sentenced to five years in prison for skimming hundreds of thousands of dollars from his holdings and financial investments. Melvine Matthews Aprile, 40, was convicted Sept. 20 of 20 charges including grand theft, forgery and uttering forged instruments. Hillsborough Circuit Judge Susan C. Bucklew told the woman Friday she had decided upon a five-year sentence, but was grappling with the length of probation and amount of restitution. Bucklew said she will formally sentence Aprile on Friday. The woman has been in the county jail since March, when she was returned to Tampa after being captured in Costa Rica. Prosecutors claimed she fled to Costa Rica with her two children in January 1989. The case was featured on the "Unsolved Mysteries" television series, but prosecutors said law enforcement authorities developed their own leads that led to Aprile. Prosecutors said Jimmy Aprile turned over the day-to-day business affairs to his wife after he suffered a heart attack about eight years ago. They said she switched the couple's properties into her name and began liquidating portfolios. Assistant State Attorney Chip Purcell said during the trial Jimmy Aprile's business is now a bust, and he and his two children live on Social Security payments and share a house with his parents. Purcell told Bucklew Friday large amounts of money still are unaccounted. "I suspect it is in Costa Rica or in banking institutions in our own country awaiting the trip to Costa Rica," Purcell said. Assistant Public Defender Stuart Sheres said most of the refinancing the woman carried out was done to keep the business afloat, and said the family's lifestyle did not suffer during the time. "I just don't believe she is an embezzler or a thief," he said. Bucklew and the attorneys went through the financial transactions line by line Friday. Purcell contends Jimmy Aprile should be reimbursed for his losses at today's prices. Sheres argued the value should be what the property was worth at the time, with restitution only half of that because the property belonged to both. State sentencing guidelines call for a 3 1/2- to 5 1/2-year prison term. The probation office's pre-sentence investigation report recommended five years with 30 years' probation. Purcell asked for 10 years, while Sheres asked for a suspended sentence so Aprile could go to work and begin restitution. Caption: MELVINE APRILE Caption: PHOTO Author: ORVAL JACKSON Section: METRO Page: 8B Copyright 1990 The Tribune Co. ************************************************ Paper: The Tampa Tribune Title: Cameras roll for update - Gathering staged for TV program Author: SALATHEIA BRYANT Date: October 13, 1990 Section: SOUTH BAY Page: 5 TEMPLE TERRACE -- Sheri and Tony Aprile had trouble keeping their eyes from sneaking a peek at the camera. The lights, microphone, camera and crew seemed to interfere with the fun the siblings were having, but the children were making the best of the situation. They tried to focus on rolling the bowling ball properly so they would not leave any pins standing. "I'm getting better. This time I only left two pins," Sheri said to her father, Jimmy Aprile. But Thursday's outing at Imperial Lanes bowling alley in Temple Terrace wasn't a normal family get-together for the Aprile family. It was a special gathering staged for the NBC television show "Unsolved Mysteries." The family hopes the taping will conclude their 14-month ordeal that began when the Sheri and Tony were taken to Costa Rica by their mother. Jimmy and Melvine Aprile had been married 20 years when in January 1989 Melvine Aprile disappeared with their two children and $2 million in assets belonging to her husband. The case was first aired on the television program, that highlights unsolved crimes, in January 1990. In March, Melvine Aprile was returned to the United States and was convicted on grand theft and uttering forged instrument charges. She will be sentenced Oct. 26, officials said. Jimmy Aprile said Thursday he is just glad to have his children back and the incident behind them. "I don't think we'll ever really be the same again," Aprile said. "They are the real victims in this case. They went through a tremendous experience. "It was a horrible time. I was constantly in the state of terror," he said. Aprile said he is grateful to the television show because it played a role in intensifying the search for the children. Laura Patterson, the segment's director, said the update is scheduled to run sometime this fall. She said they will emphasize the family's reunion. "We felt we had a part in it," Patterson said. "We wanted to celebrate the homecoming of the kids. We wanted to show the family reunited as a family." The children were reunited with their father in March at Miami International Airport. Aprile said the children's lives have slowly returned to normal. He said they are in school and are receiving counseling. As for him, he is writing a book about the incident. He also said he has been approached for movie rights to the story. Caption: (BR)A crew from NBC's "Unsolved Mysteries" films the Aprile family in action at Imperial Lanes Thursday. Sheri and Tony Aprile were reunited with their father in March. Tribune photograph by CANDACE C. MUNDY<p></p>A crew from NBC's "Unsolved Mysteries" films the Aprile family at Imperial Lanes Thursday. Sheri and Tony Aprile were reunited with their father in March. Tribune photograph by CANDACE C. MUNDY Caption: PHOTO Author: SALATHEIA BRYANT Section: SOUTH BAY Page: 5 Copyright 1990 The Tribune Co. ************************************************ Paper: The Tampa Tribune Title: Woman convicted of fleecing husband Author: A Tribune Staff Report Date: September 21, 1990 Section: METRO Page: 4B TAMPA -- The ex-wife of a once-wealthy real estate business owner was found guilty Thursday of 20 charges including grand theft, forgery and uttering forged instruments. Melvine Matthews Aprile must remain in jail until she is sentenced next month by Hillsborough Circuit Judge Susan C. Bucklew. State sentencing guidelines call for a 3 1/2- to 5 1/2-year prison term. The state had filed 27 charges against Aprile, but the six-member jury found her not guilty on seven counts after deliberating for 3 1/2 hours. Aprile, 40, has been in jail since March, when she was returned to Hillsborough County after being captured in Costa Rica. Prosecutors claimed she had skimmed hundreds of thousands of dollars from her husband's real estate holdings and financial investments before fleeing the county in January 1989 with their two children. The case was featured on the "Unsolved Mysteries" television series, but prosecutors said law enforcement authorities developed their own leads that lead to Aprile. About eight years ago, prosecutors said Jimmy Aprile had turned over the day-to-day business affairs to his wife after he suffered a heart attack. Prosecutors said that's when Melvine Aprile began switching the couple's properties into her name and liquidating portfolios. Her attorney, Assistant Public Defender Stuart Sheres argued that Aprile was simply trying to take care of the family and keep the businesses operating through refinancing loans and selling properties. Jimmy Aprile's business is now a bust, and he and his two children live on Social Security payments and have to share a house with his parents, said Assistant Hillsborough State Attorney Chip Purcell. After the verdict, Jimmy Aprile said he was trying to forgive his ex-wife. "We have no great anger or bitterness," he said. "I feel we got excellent justice." Author: A Tribune Staff Report Section: METRO Page: 4B Copyright 1990 The Tribune Co. ************************************************ Paper: St. Petersburg Times Title: Prosecutors say wife stole money and fled Author: RACHEL L. SWARNS Date: September 19, 1990 Section: BRANDON TIMESTAMPALARGO-SEMINOLE TIMES Page: 1; 1; 3 They were college sweethearts, married for 20 years. So when two heart attacks shattered Jimmy V. Aprile Jr.'s health, he trusted his wife, Melvine, to care for his millions.Instead, prosecutors said, she stole nearly $2-million and fled to Costa Rica with their two children. ""Mrs. Aprile violated the trust of her husband, friends and business associates,'' prosecutor Chip Purcell said during opening arguments Tuesday in Mrs. Aprile's trial. Prosecutors said the 40-year-old woman sold off his real estate and altered deeds, mortgage notes and checks. She even got a friend to pose as her husband during a real estate deal, they said. But Mrs. Aprile has denied any wrongdoing. ""I didn't steal any money,'' she said. ""I don't think I should pay restitution.'' The state has it all wrong, her lawyer told jurors. Mrs. Aprile copied her husband's signature on checks, but only at his request, he said. The money passed through her hands, but it wasn't stolen. All the property was jointly owned, he said. Mrs. Aprile reinvested the money in their business and lost it when the local market grew sluggish, her attorney Stuart Sheres said. ""She did the best she could trying to run the business,'' he said. Mrs. Aprile ran the business from the couple's California home for several years. They owned apartment complexes and undeveloped land throughout Hillsborough County. In January 1989, Mr. Aprile came home from church to find his house empty. His wife and children had disappeared. In a note, his wife urged him not to worry. She just wanted to get reacquainted with her youngsters. But when police found her car abandoned at an airport, Mr. Aprile called his bank worried that kidnappers had abducted his family. Most of his money was gone. Mrs. Aprile is accused of stealing about $300,000 in property and altering more than $200,000 in mortgages, $873,000 in notes and $345,000 in checks between 1985 and 1988. She was arrested in March shortly after being featured on the television show Unsolved Mysteries. Interpol and FBI agents found her working at the Costa Rican school her 13-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son were attending. She was charged with 27 counts of grand theft, cashing forged checks and grand theft. The defense argues that Mrs. Aprile went to Costa Rica because she was tired of her marriage, not because she was a thief. ""She walked out on him,'' Sheres said. ""She'd had enough.'' Caption: Melvine Aprile (ran in BT and TP only) Caption: BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO, ROBIN DONINA Author: RACHEL L. SWARNS Section: BRANDON TIMESTAMPALARGO-SEMINOLE TIMES Page: 1; 1; 3 Dateline: TAMPA ************************************************ Paper: St. Petersburg Times Title: Missing woman found, held in theft of husband's fortune Author: RICHARD BOCKMAN Date: March 20, 1990 Section: TAMPA BAY AND STATE Page: 1B When Jimmy V. Aprile Jr. returned from church, his wife and children had vanished. Figuring they had been abducted, he called his banks to freeze his assets. He didn't want the kidnappers raiding his millions.It was then he discovered the cupboard was bare. Virtually everything was gone. Aprile told prosecutors that his wife had taken him for about $6-million. Hillsborough Assistant State Attorney Judy Hoyer said she told her investigator to stop looking after he had identified nearly $2-million that she says Melvine Matthews Aprile took by using false documents. Last summer, Hoyer filed 27 charges against the 40-year-old woman. That's where the case sat until last week. The FBI and Interpol found Mrs. Aprile in Costa Rica. She was working at a school, the same school that the couple's 13-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son were attending. She was arrested, and Monday she was flown to Miami. She is expected to be returned to Tampa today. Hoyer provided this account: Aprile, 41, met Melvine when both were students at the University of South Florida. They were married 20 years ago. Aprile's father and brother were dairy farmers, but Aprile had a knack for real estate. He bought apartment complexes and undeveloped land throughout Hillsborough County. He suffered a heart attack about eight years ago and took his doctor's advice to take it easy. That included turning over his business affairs to his wife. ""Then she begins a pattern of conduct, forging documents and taking all the cash and equity out of the properties,'' Hoyer said. Mrs. Aprile persuaded her husband to sell their home in Carrollwood and move to California, where their son could better live with his asthma. She stayed behind in Tampa to tend to the real estate, commuting on weekends to their new home in Palo Alto, south of San Francisco. In January 1989, Aprile attended church with the children's nanny and came home to a note from his wife. She wrote that he needn't worry, that she had taken the children for a while because she needed to get ""reacquainted'' with them. Police found her car at the airport. Aprile assumed the worst, that his wife and children had been abducted. He feared that the kidnappers would use his wife to get access to his accounts, so he called Tampa to freeze them. That's when he discovered there was nothing left to freeze. On Aug. 30, 1989, prosecutors filed the 27 counts against Melvine Aprile: six counts of grand theft, 20 counts of uttering a forged instrument and one count of forgery. According to the charges, she stole property and altered deeds, mortgage notes and checks. She is accused of stealing nearly $300,000 in property and altering more than $200,000 in mortgages, $873,000 in notes and $354,000 in checks. In January, the television show Unsolved Mysteries broadcast a segment on the case. The show called it, ""Life After Wife.'' The show produced many tips, Hoyer said, but not the one that led investigators to Costa Rica. She wouldn't elaborate. Aprile said he didn't want to comment for fear of jeopardizing any chances of recovering any of his money. He also said his children have been returned to his custody, and he doesn't want to put them in the middle. He did say his parents are keeping him afloat: ""All the money is gone.'' Author: RICHARD BOCKMAN Section: TAMPA BAY AND STATE Page: 1B Dateline: TAMPA **************************************************

06-28-2010, 12:49 PM	#8
Wamisto Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 07, 2003 Posts: 238	I agree she was a piece of work, but he wasn't exactly a class act either. He was married to his job (even though he had more than enough to live off) and thus spent little time with his wife and children. Plus, the segment showed him to be a short-tempered, belligerent man who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and thought the world should just revolve around him. And when he talks about his wife being the "epitome of greed and selflishness" Talk about pot and kettle! Takes one to know one I guess. What a doosy! And I laughed when he said he wanted to "undo the damage the mother has caused", and said to myself, "yep, she was probably saying the same thing, but about 'the father', when she took the kids". I hate to say this, but he brought it on himself, and I would even go so far as to say he got what he deserved. Sorry to be such a heartless jerk, but I am glad he lost it all. For anyone who says I am jumping to conclusions and question me as to how I could know this about him - remember, it's UM: they leave out A LOT, and especially that which makes the victim much less sympathetic. But UM also IMPLIES a lot - just remember that if you re-watch the segment.
	Last edited by Wamisto; 06-28-2010 at 01:07 PM.

06-14-2015, 03:27 AM	#15
DazzlerSparkler Sharon Kinne Imposter Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 29, 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 725	I wonder how her kids are. Found a Tony Aprile on FB but idk if its him. Did the father ever get his life back to normal?
	__________________ And she was just gripin' and bitchin'. Just gripin' and bitchin. Offer your shoes and receive free margaritas!

08-16-2006, 11:53 AM	#2
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	Jimmy Aprile is still alive as of 5/6/2006. I found some real estate transactions in Tampa under his name. Quite a few actually. Seems like he's back in business. EDIT: I have the update about Melvine's capture on tape. The bowling segment mentioned in the article isn't there. I guess they decided not to air it(?)

08-16-2006, 01:40 PM	#4
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	Crash dieting, huh...I don't remember that, but it's been awhile since I watched the story. I do remember thinking that Aprile's appearance during the interview segments bore no resemblance to the old photos, specifically those in which he was overweight. He looked a lot more frail during his UM interview. His health already being compromised, I wonder if his condition worsened after Melvine took off with the cash and kids. It must have been pretty taxing emotionally, and probably physically too. I wonder what the outcome of his lawsuit was. I suppose I can understand his rationale for suing the detective agency, but I got the impression Melvine duped the PIs as well. Didn't she tell them her husband was involved in the mafia and that her life was in danger? I suppose they could have checked into her allegations, but that wasn't what they were being paid to do. Sounds to me like they just did the job she paid them to do. Whether they broke any laws in doing so is anyone's guess. Due to my brief stint as a PI, I feel confident in saying that some of a PI's duties border on illegal. For example, the agency I worked for did some things that were definitely NOT legal.

12-06-2009, 09:04 AM	#6
sdb4884 UM Meme Guy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 01, 2008 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 1,234	just saw this case again, glad to see the bitch was caught. Hopefully the kids re-united with their father.

12-06-2009, 10:20 AM	#7
Mysteryphile I wonder what happened to her. Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 02, 2009 Location: England via Iowa Posts: 320	Came on here looking for an update after watching this case. So glad she was caught (but barely any jail time and she hardly had to pay back anything ) I am especially glad the kids are back with thier father and he's doing well (as of 2006 anyway) what a tragedy it would have been if he had died while thier mother had them and they would have missed out on being with their father the little time he had left.

09-20-2010, 07:46 PM	#13
mattc Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 16, 2008 Location: Virginia Posts: 273	I just watched this segment too, and, once again, we have Unsolved Mysteries to thank for putting a criminal behind bars!!!! I didn't know until I read this thread that it was the show that ultimately got her caught!!!!! Go Stack.

06-06-2013, 07:22 PM	#14
killgas20 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 23, 2006 Location: Richmond Hill, GA Posts: 69	It appears her probation is done. http://mugshots.com/US-Counties/Flor...32126/details/