Deputy Fired After He Lied About Having Relations With Casey Anthony

August 26, 2008

According to a recently released interoffice memo, an Orange County sheriff's deputy was fired on Aug. 22, because he lied about a relationship he had with Casey Anthony, mother of missing 3-year-old, Caylee Anthony.

"During the course of a criminal investigation being conducted by Sergeant John Allen and Corporal Yuri Melich, information was learned that Deputy Anthony Rusciano may know the target of the investigation," wrote Chief Frank Fabrizio. "When the investigators contacted Deputy Rusciano by telephone, Deputy Rusciano admitted that he had met the individual for a very brief moment at a party they both attended. Deputy Rusciano denied ever having any further contact with that person."

The memo goes on to say that the matter was then closed; however, it was brought to light again after investigators found further evidence suggesting Rusciano had not been completely honest about his relationship with Anthony.

"On August 18, 2008, subsequent to a forensic analysis of the target's computer it became apparent that Deputy Rusciano's earlier statement was incomplete concerning his knowledge of the investigation's target," Fabrizio wrote. Deputy Rusciano was then contacted by the investigators and requested to respond to CID, which he did. Again, investigators asked him to clarify his relationship with the target of the ongoing investigation and again Deputy Rusciano provided inaccurate and incomplete responses. Ultimately, the investigators confronted Deputy Rusciano with the evidence recovered from the computer examination which led Deputy Rusciano to admit he had lied to investigators ... Lying to investigators during the course of any investigation is unacceptable and reason for termination."

Read the Memo

A spokesperson for the sheriff's office was unavailable for comment on the nature of Rusciano's relationship with Anthony, however Local6.com is reporting that it was a sexual relationship.

Discuss The Caylee Anthony Case

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Read Newly Released Court Documents in Casey Anthony Case
Full Coverage : Casey Anthony Case

Comments

[catherine]

this chick makes me sick to my stomach!!
why am I not shocked at this information?

[Dawn]

When is the Anthony family going to give up this charade? Clearly their daughter Casey was of questionable morals and cavorted with similarly inclined people. Cops lying about their relationship with a potential murder suspect, when is the nonsense going to end? I, like most of the public are FED up with how this investigation is being handled. The Anthony family, beginning with Casey, are proving themselves a group of unrepentant liars.

Where the heck is Caylee? ENOUGH of this bs.

On a side note, great job with the coverage Mr. Lohr, I'd love to know your personal opinions on this matter as a person who covers criminal investigations.

[Theresa]

Okay....so what...How about we get back to the REAL reason this bozo is in the news...HER MISSING DAUGHTER for crying out loud... yes that is it... CAYLEE MARIE ANTHONY is the name of the missing little girl. I could care less that some cop was trying to get $#@% by this sick woman.

[Marsha]

The fact that Casey was having intimate relations with the police officer, while she had a boyfriend who she was supposedly in love with, shows how immoral she is. I think that the name of Caylee's father was not on her birth certificate because Casey didn't know which of the many men she had relations with fathered her child. Her parents probably know this, and they all agreed on the lie that Caylee's father is dead because it's embarrassing to admit that your daughter doesn't know who fathered her child.

[Dru]

Is it me or does this just keep getting weirder and weirder? I say to myself: "Self, you are not going to watch this case anymore. It's explotative. A family is suffering and a poor little girl is missing." ANd then something else comes alone and slaps me one upside the head. Lies, Psychics, bounty hunters. Now a lusty, lying cop who just ruined his career . And did you see the poem on the mother's webspace? It looked like something the Zodiac killer might write.
I pray this is all a bad dream and they find the little girl safe and sound and we can all stop worrying and standing around with our mouths open everytime something new comes to light.

[Melanie]

I completely agree that officers need to be upfront during an investigation. On the other hand, can you really blame this guy? Who would want to admit to being involved with a woman like that?

[gloria noll]

i read a poem on one of these spaces and i believe it should be posted in the news paper on front page. it was beautiful. a tribute for caylee. does the parents know where she was going on june,9th? when my kids leave i usually ask where there going and how long there going to be gone. whether there 20 or 40. its a mothers instinc. im like everyone else, i believe it was a accident but lets bring her home so she can rest in peace. damage is done but mom has to pay.

[gloria noll]

just wondering. im not from aroun this area but how do i find this web site to get the reviews?

[Lorraine]

This girl is unbelievable. It is possible the parent's do not want to admit she is so messed up because it is a direct reflection on them and they allowed her to do this to them. By admitting she is this way, they will be admitting their weakness to her and how she bullied them for years! She is truly a "Serial Bully with a Narcissistic Personality Disorder"...read up on it. She will NEVER admit her guilt, I can guarantee that...she will NEVER allow herself to feel bad about herself, not for one minute. I just pray the results will be in soon. Just a thought...isnt it funny how none of these people in this report showed up on any talk show or news show? ...I hope it is because detectives told them to keep quiet, if they talk to the media it will hurt the case. They will be accused of only saying those things for the spotlight.....if so.. Good job cops!!!

[aj]

Maybe he's the dad. That sure would add a nice twist to an already twisted story. Not to mention that it explains why the investigation got so dragged out.

[Anne]

I read in the 400 page transcripts that Casey was an employee of Universal Studios and was fired in 4/06. She gave investigators the name Jeffrey Hopkins. when she did so she said that he was a current employee there. The transcripts from the prosecutors noted that he had, but in way back in 2002 and had also been fired. So tell me, why did she know him? 2002 to 2006 is a 4 year difference. Casey is not a bad person for thinking about adoption at the age of 19. Casey made the choice to keep Caylee and everyone involved says she was a great mom. I don't care how she treated her friends, look at the type of people there were anyway-look at her parents. Something happened to Caylee, Casey knows BUT she is indeed not the only one who knows or the only one involved and after reading all those 400 pages I DO NOT think she is to blame. The investigators need to read between the lines. Casey is just the easiest person on interest to poke at. Get real people.

[Anne]

I read in the 400 page transcripts that Casey was an employee of Universal Studios and was fired in 4/06. She gave investigators the name Jeffrey Hopkins. when she did so she said that he was a current employee there. The transcripts from the prosecutors noted that he had, but in way back in 2002 and had also been fired. So tell me, why did she know him? 2002 to 2006 is a 4 year difference. Casey is not a bad person for thinking about adoption at the age of 19. Casey made the choice to keep Caylee and everyone involved says she was a great mom. I don't care how she treated her friends, look at the type of people there were anyway-look at her parents. Something happened to Caylee, Casey knows BUT she is indeed not the only one who knows or the only one involved and after reading all those 400 pages I DO NOT think she is to blame. The investigators need to read between the lines. Casey is just the easiest person on interest to poke at. Get real people.

[perla]

UGH I HATE THIS STUPID &%$@! i swear if i could go to flordia i would kick her @$$ and i wouldnt mind getting arrested at all!

caylee that poor little angel.
she didn't deserve this. it is horrible she got stuck with that crazy family !!

[Andy]

My heart is broken for that beautiful little girl. Can't figure out Casey though. Gotta be neurotic!
I think the bounty hunter is getting a bad rap...he believed (as did I) that Caylee would show up and he thought he could speed up the process, that he'd share the reward is irrelevant to me.. Bless him for his efforts...plus he's now 50K poorer for his trying.

[Crime Junkie Mama]

What's with Casey dating so many cops? Does she have father issues? We know she has mother issues both with her being a mom and also with her witchy mother. What kind of mother calls up her daughter's friends and starts attacking her own daughter to them? Casey sounds like a split personality. Does anyone remember the jail call where she talks to her friend, Christina I think, and Casey's voice affect completely switches when she says "big waste of time calling you guys"...then her tone completely shifts and she says "I love you." Listen to it, it's downright creepy, like Kathy Bates in Misery.

[Alice Garrigus]

It has been clear to me that Casey Anthony has been lying to EVERYONE in order to keep law enforcement from prosecuting her from day one. Something happened to her little girl while Caylee was in her care and it happened as the result of Casey Anthony's negligence - perhaps Caylee drowned in the swimming pool while her mother slept, etc. Casey Anthony is the ultimate liar! She apparently buried Caylee after borrowing the neighbor's shovel, then dug her body up and tossed it in the trunk of her car when she took off for her alleged 30-day "bonding ritual" with Caylee. Casey Anthony wouldn't know the truth if it hit her betwen the eyes. The "kidnapping" ploy she dreamed up that sent law enforcement on its wild goose chase was nothing but another one of her own devices to keep law enforcement AWAY from her. She probably thought everyone would eventually give up in their search for Caylee and little Caylee would wind up being nothing but another "child kidnap victim". Casey Anthony is a coward and a compulsive liar!

[Alice Garrigus]

It has been clear to me that Casey Anthony has been lying to EVERYONE in order to keep law enforcement from prosecuting her from day one. Something happened to her little girl while Caylee was in her care and it happened as the result of Casey Anthony's negligence - perhaps Caylee drowned in the swimming pool while her mother slept, etc. Casey Anthony is the ultimate liar! She apparently buried Caylee after borrowing the neighbor's shovel, then dug her body up and tossed it in the trunk of her car when she took off for her alleged 30-day "bonding ritual" with Caylee. Casey Anthony wouldn't know the truth if it hit her betwen the eyes. The "kidnapping" ploy she dreamed up that sent law enforcement on its wild goose chase was nothing but another one of her own devices to keep law enforcement AWAY from her. She probably thought everyone would eventually give up in their search for Caylee and little Caylee would wind up being nothing but another "child kidnap victim". Casey Anthony is a coward and a compulsive liar!

[Waiting on Forensics]

I agree with Theresa. So what? It's starting to look like 60% of the men in the greater Orlando area have had sex with this woman - BUT...the only question that matters is, "Where is Caylee?"

It is sad but when mothers kill their children, no one seems to remember the victims' names - only the crazy mother. I can't remember Susan Smith's boys names or Darla Routier's boys or the herd of kids that Andrea Yates drowned. Some how, that is sad and messed up.

IF Casey Marie Anthony killed her daughter, the country may or may not remember Caylee's name but for me...I will never forget this child. I will really remember Caylee Marie Anthony and I am more aware than ever of missing children and I hope we can keep the focus on her instead of her very sick mother.

I don't know why Casey does what she does...why she sleeps with (it appears) every man she meets. I do know she is ill and I can muster a little compassion for her but I am still praying for that little girl. Remember who this is really about.

[Pamela]

This is ridiculous! Casey is telling lies and stalling every second she can to keep from going to prison for whatever it was she did to her baby. Her family knows this, surely. I have a bad feeling that Casey went out partying one night, left Caylee sleeping in the car, went home with some guy(s), stayed the night, when she went back the next morning to get Caylee she was dead from heat exhaustion. Casey panicked, took her to her parents (while they were on vacation)planned to bury her in the back yard, decided that wasn't a good place and took her elsewhere. Just a thought. I have prayed all along that Caylee was really with someone and was still alive, but that hope is getting dimmer and dimmer all the time. How can Casey smile and laugh and party knowing her daughter is out there somewhere? Why does her mother, Cindy keep running out in front of the cameras for more attention? It's just making them look worse all the time. Like mother like daughter.

[Yvonne]

I absolutely agree with the last comment.I believe that the family knows deep down that their daughter did something to their grand-daughter and are either in denial or covering up for their daughter Casey. I also believe someone else is either involved or knows exactly what happened to little Caylee--possibly her boyfriend Tony.Since she (Casey) has been in jail, he has been avoiding her phone calls. On one of her recorded phone calls from jail she asked her brother repeatly for Tony's phone number. She just sounded a little desperate to speak to him. Maybe to warn him of something. They really also need to be investigating him as well.

[Pat Rigole]

“Caylee”

Those eyes, that face, so angelic and pure
A nation is praying for you, we need to be sure
Where can you be, the answers are few
Wanting to help, but what can we do?

Just wait for answers from one whom we know
Yet a mother’s love she has yet to show
The one you so trusted, with your precious life
Has given back nothing but heartache and strife

We’ve prayed you’d be home as soon as can be
Yet each day brings us news of a day we won’t see
We are saddened so deeply and full of despair
Of a world where things happen, it seems so unfair

Our only solace is that somewhere above
Safe and warm in the arms of his heavenly love
Our Father now holds you, the rest we must wait
The one who forsake you, will soon meet her fate

So rest dear, sweet child as we mourn & we weep
For a life of such innocence, that now is in sleep
Our hearts feel so heavy, this burden , it shows
But with faith in the Father, for He alone knows.

God Bless you Caylee

P.R.

[Catherine]

The world is a better place because little Caylee touched many lives some of whom never even knew her name, but just too watch her at play or too see her sweet smile lifted hearts. I believe Caylee is now with her heavenly father in a much better place for her. Caylee will no more have to hear her grandmother and her mother scream and yell at each other, Caylee will not longer be drug at all hours of the night to drug, sex, and booze parties and left on a sofa like a rag doll for anyone to walk off with or worse! Caylee will not be abused by Casey or her grandparents that allowed her short life to be leaad in such a upheavel way.
Smile little Caylee that great smile of yours and get too know Lacy Peterson, she is a wonderful mom and friend along with her great son Conner. Most of us on earth will indeed miss all of you but yet are blessed because of you.

[LaDonna]

My heart is heavy with this news of sadness of a gift that was given to a family who did not realize what a gift CAYLEE truly was.

I don't understand how and why they are allowing Casey to play these games? I know she is sick, so why in the world would they allow her to leave jail?

In the bible it states clearly "WHATEVER YOU DO IN DARKNESS SHALL BE BROUGHT TO THE LIGHT". Time is something we have to wait for to know the truth but unfortunately that is something that poor little Caylee never got. Time to grow up and time to have that special love of her mother and her family.

I pray that God will poor his wrath on Casey to tell the truth of what happen and where her daughter is.

[Crystal]

She never asked or cries for this angel she took from this earth. You know Casey what you did to her, and soon it will all come out. I don't understand why they can't get it out of her. Her family is also stupid for not taking action after 2 days of not seeing little Caylee.

[Monique]

OK if he lied about knowing her and it was a "sexual" relationship between the two of them, then how do they know he's not involved in this? I mean, Casey lied on numerous occasions.. but yet she plotted this out well enough for no one to find the baby, dead or alive. So I wonder if he actually had anything to do with this. And its also a coisendence that she knew someone who probably would have been working on her case and helping her get away with this. Why else would he lie about her for. He could have said straight off the bat that he knew her and didnt want to proceed with the investigation, he wouldnt have been allowed to anyway. But the fact that he lied about it and tried to hide it, means he intended on being there to help her out.
Damn that girl got around! She knows everyone but doesnt know where her daughter is.

[Monique]

I think Caseys lying about the whole thing and she knows she did soemthign to Caylee.. in my opinion if it was accidental, she'd be hysterical whether she talks or not. She wouldnt have been out partying with friends during that time her daughter was "missing" she would have been hysterical, but she wasnt. She is wayyy too sarcastic and angry, her for me to believe this was an accident. She made it seem like Caylee deserved all of this when she said " all they care about it Caylee, and finding Caylee" when she was telling her friend on the phone about how her family isnt doing anything to help her or sticking up for her.
And I believe she probably had some help from her beloved boyfriend Tony, because thats all she cares abotu and thats the only one she wanted to talk to instead of her family whens he was arrested the first time. Gee I wonder why.. maybe cause he was the one who burried Caylee for her and put her body in the truck and later disposed it. So yeah she may be telling the truth about not knowing where Caylee is, because bf Tony did that part. And that goes even if it were an accident, but i dont believe it was and shes not sorry about it either, I have not seen even FAKE a tear for her child not once!

[Karen H]

I am the daughter of a former police officer. I have three daughters and I can tell you that my oldest daughter now 33 was just like my dad's own child. My other two daughters were born when we lived across the country so he did not have as close a relationship with them. I have to say that if for any reason my oldest daughter was missing my father would have sat me down and demanded that I come clean. It is pretty obvious with all of the lies that the truth is not out to the public. I am not sure what motivates people in this type of situation to continue with the dishonesty. Isn't this in fact hurting any credibility that this young woman would try to put out there in a court case? How in the world would anyone ever be able to believe her again. If she knows the truth, she can't escape it...it will come back around at some point and will slap her right in the face. She has to live with herself and she will have to live with the knowledge that she carries around everyday for the rest of her life. I think that this is an unimaginable scenario and quite frankly I think that this family needs to open the door to honesty and just pay the price for whatever part they all play in the disappearance for the young Caylee. For crying out loud...this is a 3 yr old that we are talking about...is there no lengths that people will go to just to cover their own butts? This can't go on forever and we are all waiting to hear the truth. After that, the family of this little girl will never find peace again wherever they go. It is sad.

[Mary]

I think that the police officer (Rusciano) who was fired may have helped Casey figure out Zenada Gonzales' name. Maybe she went to the apartment complex, saw the lady get in her car (thinking she lived there), and had Rusciano look up the name matching her license plate. Rusciano needs to be scrutinized.