Toll collector charged in "cooking" murder dismissed despite Teamsters plea

Paul Moccia, 48, toll collector charged in the murder of his cocaine supplier and creditor has been dismissed by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority. Prosecutors say that Moccia shot the man Angel Ramirez, and then along with a concrete supplier friend Daniel Bradley dismembered his body and then "cooked" the body parts to render them down for disposal.

Moccia was initially put on unpaid leave after the charges were announced.

Teamsters Local 127 union argued at a hearing that Moccia should be kept on full pay ($53k/year) plus benefits at least until the verdict in the murder trial. Prosecutors say Moccia owed Ramirez $70k for cocaine he supplied, and killed him to get out of the debt.

Despite the Teamsters a Turnpike Authority review panel voted to change Moccia's status from unpaid leave to dismissed.

NOTE: we initially wrote that Moccia had been "dismissed" when the murder charges were filed. This was incorrect. He had been placed on leave without pay.

TOLLROADSnews 2009-06-28