Teenager 'helped fiancé beat his ex-girlfriend to death with shovel'

UK Daily Mail ^ | July 16, 2011 | Fiona Roberts

[Colofornian]

A Mormon teenager will stand trial for allegedly helping her lover to kill his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend, a judge has ruled.

Toni Fratto, 19, and Kody Patten, 18, are accused of hitting Micaela Costanzo over the head with a shovel, cutting her throat and then burying her body in a shallow grave just outside West Wendover, Nevada.

Prosecutors claim the couple, who were planning to get married, murdered Micaela because she had been texting Patten asking to get back together with him.

After the killing the pair drove to a nearby swimming pool to 'clean up' - and then went to McDonald's, the court heard.

Patten was charged just days after the murder in March, but Fratto was arrested more than a month later, after she allegedly confessed to Patten's father and his lawyer.

SNIP

In January he was baptised as a Mormon so they couple could get married at the Temple.

Fratto told lawyers Patten picked her and Micaela up and then drove out of town because Micaela, described as a popular student, 'didn't want anyone to see us or anything.'

...she allegedly hit Micaela in the back with a shovel, and then together she and Patten cut the girl's throat, she said.

Then they buried her body in a shallow grave and drove away...

[Colofornian]

From the article: A Mormon teenager will stand trial for allegedly helping her lover to kill his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend, a judge has ruled. Toni Fratto, 19, and Kody Patten, 18, are accused of hitting Micaela Costanzo over the head with a shovel, cutting her throat and then burying her body in a shallow grave just outside West Wendover, Nevada. Prosecutors claim the couple, who were planning to get married, murdered Micaela because she had been texting Patten asking to get back together with him...In January he was baptised as a Mormon so they couple could get married at the Temple.

[Libloather]

A shovel ready job?

[digger48]

If he was a Mormon, couldn’t he have both?

[Colofornian]

If he was a Mormon, couldn’t he have both?

For "eternity," about all Mormons say "yes."
For time, some Mormons say "no"; other offshoots say "yes."

And even when all Mormons used to say "yes," the women were inwardly saying "no, no, no, no." They just had to stuff such feelings.

[nuconvert]

and your point is? She was Mormon, right?

[Graybeard58]

I’ve heard this story before, most famously the young couple in Texas that killed an ex girl friend of the man. The murderous couple then both entered a different military academy, I believe one was the Naval academy, I don’t remember the other. Maybe West Point.

He probably could have told the victim to just get lost, instead of killing her. At least that is what normal people would have done.

[Jeff Vader]

not officially. had he been a muslim then the aclu would have fought for his right to have both

[JPG]

The other one was the AF Academy in Colorado Springs.

[PzLdr]

The female was Naval Academy. The male was Air Force Academy.

[Maverick68]

Funny how muslims commit terrible acts on an hourly basis and the press declines to mention religion...

[maine yankee]

In the other stories mentioned on this thread, were the religons of any of the attackers mentioned ?

Self censorship.

[hattend]

Prosecutors claim the couple, who were planning to get married, murdered Micaela because she had been texting Patten asking to get back together with him.

Annoying texting? Well, if that isn't a reason to kill somebody... /sarc

F'n idiots, what's wrong with people nowadays?

[Oldpuppymax]

Interesting that the MORMON part is emphasized, isn’t it!!! Where are the MUSLIM MURDERERS stories in the Daily Mail????

[latina4dubya]

I’ve heard this story before, most famously the young couple in Texas that killed an ex girl friend of the man.

yes--this story sound a lot like the Diane Zamora and David Graham case in Texas... they killed Adrianne Jones... although she was not Graham's ex-girlfriend... Graham cheated on Zamora with Jones... Zamora's sick response was to convince Graham that they had to get rid of Jones in order for their love to remain pure... crazy...

[reaganaut]

I am surprised this girl was active LDS. Marriage at such an early age and conversion among teenagers to get married isn’t that uncommon (part of the reason I converted at first was because my LDS boyfriend promised to marry me - I was 16).

There is a year waiting period from the time of baptism in order to get married in the temple for converts. So they would have been able to get married next January. That is a very long time in Mormon culture.

[reaganaut]

and your point is? She was Mormon, right?

- - - - -
She was active, believing Mormon, boyfriend even converted to get married in the temple (VERY VERY BIG DEAL).

Things like this happen, and not just to LDS, but we keep being told (esp by the LDS) that the active Mormons (like this girl) are so much better than everyone else, that they are nice, good people.

There is a lot of darkness hidden behind the “Osmund facade”

[greyfoxx39]

Interesting that the MORMON part is emphasized, isn’t it!!!

Interesting that many of the posts on this thread are trying to deflect the conversation away from the truth in the article...The murderers were mormon, planning on a temple marriage and expecting to receive a "temple recommend"...here are the requirements for gaining the recommend:

Temple Recommend questions.

1 Do you have faith in and a testimony of God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost?

2 Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Christ and of His role as Savior and Redeemer?

3 Do you have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel in these the latter days?

4 Do you sustain the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and as the only person on the earth who possesses and is authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators? Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local authorities of the Church?

5 Do you live the law of chastity?

6 Is there anything in your conduct relating to members of your family that is not in harmony with the teachings of the Church?

7 Do you support, affiliate with, or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

8 Do you strive to keep the covenants you have made, to attend your sacrament and other meetings, and to keep your life in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel?

9 Are you honest in your dealings with your fellowmen?

10 Are you a full-tithe payer?

11 Do your keep the Word of Wisdom?

12 Do you have financial or other obligations to a former spouse or children? If yes, are you current in meeting those obligations?

13 If you have previously received your temple endowment:

Do you keep the covenants that you made in the temple?
Do you wear the garment both night and day as instructed in the endowment and in accordance with the covenant you made in the temple?

14 Have there been any sins or misdeeds in your life that should have been resolved with priesthood authorities but have not been?

15 Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord's house and participate in temple ordinances?

Note: In the order of importance the questions regarding "misdeeds" and "worthiness" are way down at the bottom of the list.

[reaganaut]

In the other stories mentioned on this thread, were the religons of any of the attackers mentioned ?
- - - - - -
There was only ONE other story mentioned and IDR if their religion (if any) was ever mentioned.

The perps were both LDS in this story (Mormon). The victim’s religion was not mentioned.

Not self censorship - media censorship. Go attack them not us.

[dirtymac]

If he had been Muslim the ACLU would have fought for his right to have both and they will fight for his right to kikll the woman that somehow offended him.

[greyfoxx39]

If he had been Muslim

They were mormon. I find it interesting that mormon atrocities are excused and defended by FReepers who use the tactic of "Look over here...the MUSLIMS...