Missing elderly man’s dismembered remains found in backyard

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (TCN) — Authorities recently arrested two people in connection with the disappearance and death of a 71-year-old man whose remains were found in a backyard.

On Jan. 16, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a missing person, Joseph Romano. Further investigation revealed that 45-year-old Joseph Schiliro had allegedly tried to take Romano’s mail at his apartment complex.

Investigators also reportedly discovered an “ongoing financial fraud scheme,” in which large amounts of money were being moved from Romano’s accounts to fraudulent accounts connected to Schiliro. According to the sheriff’s office, approximately two weeks before Romano disappeared, on Jan. 3, 31-year-old Silviano Christman flew from New York to Tampa and was with Schiliro around that time.

Investigators obtained and executed a search warrant at Schiliro’s home on Feb. 13 and found Romano’s dismembered remains in the backyard.

New York Police arrested Christman on Feb. 20 on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, burglary with battery, abuse of a dead body, and fraudulent use of personally identifiable information of a deceased person.

The following day, the U.S. Marshals Task Force arrested Schiliro in Pinellas County. Schiliro faces the same charges as Christman except for abuse of a dead body. He also has been charged with fraudulent use of personally identifiable information, money laundering, and exploitation of a disabled adult.

Sheriff Chad Chronister called the suspects’ actions “despicable and deeply disturbing,” adding, “Through deceit and violence, they exploited and took the life of another individual.”

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