The president of Bethlehem Police Department’s police benevolent association and members of the town police force gathered outside the station Tuesday, June 20 at 11 a.m. to defend the late Det. Anthony Arduini, a 31-year veteran of the Bethlehem Police Department who officers believe is having his reputation tarnished by Terence Kindlon.
Kindlon is defending Christopher Porco, who is charged with the murder of his father, Peter Porco, and attempted murder of his mother, Joan Porco, on Nov. 15, 2004.
Scott Anson, PBA president, said Kindlon crossed the line when he accused the fallen detective of tampering with evidence in Porco’s murder trial.
`He stepped over the line, he knows what the truth is, and he grossly distorted the facts,` said Anson.
In pre-trial testimony, Kindlon stated that Arduini may have `tampered` with a toll ticket that could be a key piece of evidence in the upcoming murder trial. Prosecutors believe the DNA ties Porco to the scene of the crime when his father Peter Porco was murdered and his mother Joan was severely beaten with an ax at their Brockley Drive home.
`All roads lead to Christopher Porco,` said Anson, who also defended the hard work the Bethlehem police department has conducted so far in this case. `If we don’t get somebody fair and square, we are not going to make any arrests.`
Arduini’s close friend for over 40 years Pete Bukowski said the family is `hurting` because of these false accusations and that Arduini was a `great individual, a great person, and wouldn’t hurt anybody,`
`Tony was a special type person and this is hurting the kids big time,` said Bukowski. The family is even considering a lawsuit against Kindlon for the way Kindlon is portraying Arduini.
`If we are so inept, why has Mr. Kindlon chosen to live here and raise his kids here for the past 15 years?` asked Anson.
Anson said Arduini was not the lead investigator in the Porco case, and Arduini is not the issue.
`He knows the detective was not even close to those (toll) tickets as far as I know,` said Anson.
`I am here today to defend my personal best friend because he cannot defend himself right now,` said Bukowski.
As for Arduini’s daughters dating Christopher Porco, which Kindlon has alleged in pre-trial testimony, Bukowski believes the daughters never dated Porco and were nothing more than casual acquaintances.
`The closest they ever got to dating him was driving together in the same car to a swim meet,` said Bukowski.
Arduini was one of several Bethlehem police officers who worked on the murder investigation of Peter Porco, and Anson believes this is not the way the hard-working police officer should be remembered.
`It is sad that we have to even be here today talking about this,` Anson said.
Arduini died this past spring. Attempts to reach Kindlon were unsuccessful.
