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Third Man Arrested in Connection to Hofstra Grad's Murder, Police Say

By Ben Fractenberg | December 6, 2016 1:17pm
 Max Gemma, who was with Joseph Comunale (pictured) the night he died, was charged with tampering with evidence.
Max Gemma, who was with Joseph Comunale (pictured) the night he died, was charged with tampering with evidence.
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MANHATTAN — A third man was arrested in connection to the murder of Hofstra grad Joseph Comunale, police said Tuesday.

Max Gemma, 29, was charged with hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence. He was with Comunale, James Rackover and Lawrence Dilione in the Upper East Side the night Comunale went missing, an NYPD spokesman said.

Rackover, 25, who is the surrogate son of celebrity jeweler Jefrey Rackover, was indicted in November in connection with the death of Comunale and helping to bury the 26-year-old Connecticut man’s body in a shallow grave in New Jersey.

Dilione was also charged with murder, but has not yet been indicted.

The grand jury indictment against Rackover is sealed until arraignment on Dec. 13.   

Gemma lives in Oceanport, New Jersey, near where Comunale’s body was found buried by police. Officials did not say exactly what role Gemma played the night of the murder.

He was expected to be arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court.