Timothy J. Ginocchetti, a senior engineering major at Syracuse University and Manlius native, was charged with second-degree murder Thursday morning at Manlius Town Court after allegedly stabbing his mother to death at about 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, police said.

Manlius police found the body of Pamela Ginocchetti inside the home at 11:30 p.m., after Ginocchetti called 911. During that call, Ginocchetti admitted to emergency dispatchers that he killed his mother, that she was covered in blood and that he was alone with her.

Pamela Ginocchetti was pronounced dead on site, and at the request of the police, Ginocchetti left the home and was taken into custody.

A knife was recovered at the scene by police, but it is unknown at this time as to whether it is the murder weapon. Manlius police Capt. Bill Bleyle declined comment on any evidence that has been collected or Ginocchetti’s possible motive.

It is also unclear as to what events occurred from the alleged stabbing at about 10:30 p.m. to Ginocchetti’s 911 call at about 11:20 p.m.

Ginocchetti is the son of John Ginocchetti, formerly of the Fayetteville Fire Department, who was killed in a house fire in Pompey, N.Y., along with firefighter Timothy J. Lynch, on March 7, 2002.

The community raised more than $300,000 to support both the Ginocchetti and Lynch families. Ginocchetti was given a scholarship to attend SU, where he made the dean’s list last semester.

Ginocchetti’s preliminary court hearing will take place Tuesday at 4 p.m. in Manlius Town Court. He is also set to appear in court Thursday.

Funeral services for Pamela Ginocchetti have yet to be determined.

Eric Spina, interim vice chancellor at SU and former dean of the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science, described Ginocchetti as gentle, shy and well-dressed, and said he didn’t notice any indication of issues that Ginocchetti may have been dealing with internally or with his family.

‘I don’t regard those as suspicious things,’ Spina said. ‘So certainly we are struggling with what might have happened.’

Published on August 26, 2006 at 12:00 pm