Teen Accused Of Killing Mother In India Being Held

JAIPUR, India,None — An India court on Saturday sent Joncarlo Patton, the prime suspect in the murder of his mother, to a Juvenile Protection Home until Monday.

Patton, 15, who was arrested Friday at an Indian airport in connection with the murder of his mother, Cindy Iannarelli, appeared before the chief judicial magistrate. He was ordered to appear against August 16.

Iannarelli, 51, from South Fayette Twp., Pa., was found with her throat slit at a tourist resort in the historic town of Osian late Thursday, police superintendent Girdhari Lal Sharma said.

India news media are calling the killing a "cold blooded murder."

Police were questioning her son, Joncarlo Patton, who left the resort early Friday and was picked up at the airport in the nearest big town, Jodhpur, 60 miles (100 kilometers) away, Sharma said.

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"The woman's throat was slit by a sharp object. We are interrogating the boy as he is the prime suspect," Sharma said.

Patton is a student at South Fayette Junior-Senior High School. Channel 11's Dave Bondy spoke with some of Patton's friends Friday morning.

"He said that he never really liked his mom, but every kid says that. What do you expect," said Kelsey McSweeney. "I hope to God it's not true."

Maria Cardillo said she went to homecoming with Patton and that he is a star on the school's cross-country team.

"I am hoping it's not true," said Cardillo. "He's on my cross country team. He's a top runner. We need him on the team. He could go far with his running."

Friends of Iannarelli said she was a successful businesswoman. She operated a real estate consulting business out of a Millers Run Road home in Cecil Township and she owns a building across the street which houses several businesses.

One of her tenants, Dr. George Khoury said he was shocked to hear about her death.

"I was extremely shocked and dismayed that something like that could happen," said Khoury. "I saw her two weeks ago next door moving into the office. For that to happen is very mind blowing and shocking."

State Rep. Jesse White said Iannarelli recently sent him a gift bag for helping her to secure grant money for some properties in Cecil Twp.

"The fact that she thought enough to write a handwritten note, and brought it up to my office really says something about her character," said White.

Police in India told the Associated Press that Patton was studying in Italy and met up with his mother in India for a vacation.

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