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where to store stormwindows in the basement - in the very bin where her body was later found. “It has to be Petrarca,” Cali insisted to Lordi. Petrarca, 26, a dark, powerfully built man with a substantial criminal record, freely admitted to police that he had washed the Cali windows, but steadfastly denied that he had gone back on May 14. He said he’d spent the day working, and his alibi stood up. Because of the enormous circum- stantial evidence, however, Petrarca was brought to the prosecutor’s office for questioning many times in the next few weeks. But progress was nil - until August 3, when for no appar- ent reason he abruptly confessed the chilling facts of the crime. The day after Petrarca and a part- ner had washed windows at the Cali home, Petrarca said he showed up again - alone - telling Leslie that he had lost a squeegee and wanted to look for it. She helped him in a fruit- less search. Then he grabbed her from behind in a tight hammerlock, and strangled her. Renee was at the washing machine, transferring clothes to the dryer, when Petrarca sneaked up behind her and grabbed her. Renee fought. She got his left ring finger in her mouth and bit hard, nearly to the bone. “Let go or I’ll kill you,” he growled. Renee let go, and he strangled her. Petrarca arranged the bodies in the odd positions in which they were found, then went upstairs and searched the house. He took about $60 from the top of a dresser, $20 from Jonna’s bureau. His sordid confession finished, Petrarca told police that he wanted to call John Cali. Cali agreed to the conversation and asked Petrarca, “Why? Why did you kill two such wonderful, innocent people?” “I don’t know.” “May God help you!” Cali said and hung up.” Petrarca was convicted and sen- tenced to two consecutive life sen- tences. John Cali’s faith was vindi- cated, but there was no sense of triumph. Outside the courtroom after the trial, looking drawn and tired, Cali said, “Society gives much consider- ation to the criminal, to his rehabili- tation, his psychiatric state, and his legal rights. Society might also con- sider the plight of the victim’s family. They, too, may desperately need emotional support in overcoming their shock and outrage and sorrow, and assurance that everything possi- ble is being done to bring the guilty party to justice.” With that, he got into his car and drove off to rebuild his life. reader ’ s digest 12   may 2026 After a life spent serving her community, 95-year-old Joan was ready to slow down—but she wasn’t ready to stop helping others. In the last few years, she’d been thinking about what it would mean to leave a gift for future generations. By remembering Australian Red Cross in her Will, Joan knew she could transform tomorrow for people in need. “I know my gift will help. There’s always a need, and Red Cross finds a way,” she says. Find out more about leaving a gift in your Will. Change tomorrow for future generations Leave a gift to remember