But the man, Anthony Comello, gave several conflicting accounts about what happened the night the reputed mobster, Francesco Cali, was fatally shot. Though Comello has acknowledged being at the scene, investigators have been unable to corroborate many of his claims or to establish a motive for the shooting, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Comello was arrested in Brick Township, New Jersey, on Saturday morning and spoke to investigators for “quite some time” before retaining a lawyer, and made statements that were recorded on videotape, a third person with knowledge of the matter said Monday.
Comello made an initial appearance in court in Ocean County, New Jersey, on Monday afternoon. He waived extradition to New York “without reference to guilt or innocence” during the court hearing.
Comello is facing murder, weapons and assault charges in the death of Cali, who was shot at close range Wednesday night in front of his house in the Todt Hill section of Staten Island.
While police have said the investigation is still in its early stages, several law enforcement officials have said the killing does not appear to be mob-related, even though detectives are still seeking to nail down the motive.
In his recorded statements to New York detectives, Comello gave conflicting accounts of what happened, but put himself at the murder scene, according to the two officials.
Comello told detectives Saturday he had a romantic interest in one of Cali’s female relatives and that Cali had told him to stay away. He also said he was high on marijuana at the time and shot Cali because he feared the crime figure had a gun and would shoot him.
He stopped talking to the detectives, who were questioning him in Ocean County, after his lawyer, Robert C. Gottlieb, was retained to represent him.
It was unclear when Comello would be arraigned in Staten Island on the charges.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.