Location
Fort Pierce, Florida is a small city located along its east coast in St. Lucie County. It is known as the Sunrise City and is the sister city to San Francisco, California which is known as the Sunset City. It is also home to the National Navy SEAL Museum and is known for its world-class fishing.
Heading South
On Saturday, February 24, 1996, 58-year-old Frank Black boarded flight 45 with Kiwi Airlines at New York International Airport in Newark, New Jersey bound for West Palm Beach International Airport in Florida. Frank was the owner-operator of a school bus transportation business (The Frank L. Black Bus Service) in Andover, New Jersey, and had been quite successful.
The reason for this short trip was business. The plan was for him to fly down to Florida where he would be picked up at the airport by Mia Giordano, a business contact. He hoped to be home in time for a meeting he had scheduled for Monday. Mia was to take him to meet up with other investors in what he hoped would be a lucrative business venture. At least Frank hoped it would be lucrative as he was looking to sell his business and retire early.
Jersey Monday
Frank’s daughter had become concerned when he failed to return home on Monday, February 26th, and she was unable to get a hold of him. She contacted the New Jersey State Police to report him missing. Frank’s family felt it was out of character for him to go radio silent. He was hands-on with his business and would constantly call in to check on how things were going.
Detective Sergeant Lee Liddy was assigned to Frank’s disappearance. Detectives started by talking to Frank’s daughter, Leighanna, with whom he had the business meeting on Monday. They were to discuss Frank selling his business. She also reported that Frank had failed to answer his cell phone. Sally Roberts, who was Frank’s office manager and girlfriend, was also questioned. She shared that Mia Giordano worked for Valdez Exporting and was looking to purchase sixty conversion vans.
Mia had started calling Frank’s office at the beginning of February. Office staff found it odd that Mia would stay on hold for long periods instead of leaving a callback number. She described herself to Frank so he would recognize her at the airport when she picked him up. She described herself as blonde and stood 5 foot 1 inch tall. Next, detectives talked with the travel agent who booked Frank’s flight. She confirmed it was a one-way ticket to Florida. Airline records also confirmed this. In addition, he hadn’t arranged a rental car since Mia Giordano planned to pick him up. Police couldn’t find any area hotels where Frank was registered.
Follow the Money
Detectives checked to see if any of Frank’s credit cards had been used upon his arrival in Florida. The cards had been used so the Fort Pierce Florida Police Department was contacted to pick up the trail. Frank’s card was used at the Embassy Suites in Riviera Beach between 1 am and 2 am on Saturday, February 25th. Then again at 4 am another credit card belonging to Frank was used to purchase gas at a station in North Miami. What struck out to them was that Frank didn’t rent a car so why was he getting gas?
In talking with the attendant that was working at that time and he didn’t recognize Frank from a photo or the description of the mysterious Mia. When trying to track down an address for Valdez Exports in the hopes of talking to Mia, detectives discovered that there was no such company registered in Florida. Finding Mia was also proving difficult as detectives couldn’t find any Mia Giodarno in either Florida or New Jersey.
Missing in Springtime
On March 1, 1996, a New Jersey detective traveled to Florida to aid in the investigation as there had been no trace of Frank in five days. The only suspect they had, Mia, was untraceable at that point. Detectives were able to obtain the phone records from New Jersey of Mia calling into Frank’s business. These calls were traced to a rented townhome in Jupiter, Florida belonging to Lisa Costello. She was not blonde, but she did fit the height description. All the calls made from Lisa’s residence were matched to calls that came from “Mia” into Frank’s office. Detectives soon confirmed that Mia was an alias for Lisa Costello. Now they had to figure out why the deception.
Checking In
Next, detectives went to the hotel that Frank’s credit card had been used at in the early morning hours of the 25th. They were able to talk to the clerk who was on duty that night and although she didn’t recognize a photo of Frank she did pick out Lisa Costello from a photo array of six women. She told detectives that the night the woman came in she wanted to rent a room for her and her boyfriend, but they were all booked. The woman then used a credit card at one of the phones in the lobby to call around to other hotels in the area. These calls matched the times Frank’s credit card was being used.
Prime Suspect
So now Lisa Costello was a person of interest. Detectives discovered from checking with the car rental agencies around the airport that Lisa Costello had rented a car shortly before Frank’s plane arrived. Detectives obtained a subpoena to impound the car Lisa had rented in the hopes of finding some evidence that Frank had been in that car. Their hopes were dashed when no trace was found and therefore no physical evidence linked Lisa Costello to Frank Black
Their next step was to start following Lisa covertly trying to figure out her routine and whom she came in contact with. They soon discovered that Lisa was dating a man named Alan Mackerley who also owned the Byram Bus Company in New Jersey. Guess who they started following next?
The List is Growing
Detectives found that the two men had known each other and were business rivals since their business was only about 10 miles apart. They had been friends and had known each other since their youth, but when Mackerley started his own bus company that seemed to sever their friendship. Phone records showed that Alan Mackerley had called Black’s business from his home phone in Florida and detectives wanted to find out what those calls were about. In checking with Frank’s office manager about the nature of their relationship outside of business she reported that they used to be friends, but that friendship had since deteriorated.
The last time she knew that the men saw each other was at a business banquet in January 1996. The men had gotten into it when Alan Mackerley had confronted Frank about stealing a contract out from under him and threatened to “put him under.” This was due to Black undercutting Mackerley on a contract. This was something Black often did. He underbid his competitors which didn’t make him popular with other bus company owners. In 1996 there were approximately 300 private bus contractors in New Jersey. Black took the threat seriously and would not attend any meetings Mackerley was at or at least not go to them alone.
It Wasn’t Me
When questioned by detectives Mackerley denied that he had seen or talked to Frank Black recently. He flatly denied having any contact with him especially in the days leading up to his trip to Florida. Now detectives believed that both Mackerley and Costello were responsible for Black’s disappearance and possible murder. But they needed proof, not just phone records and car rental receipts.
Listening In
Detectives applied for a wiretap warrant and were able to show a need for it, but unfortunately, they didn’t hear a lot of conversations between Mackerley and Costello since Costello was now living with Mackerley. So the next step was to get approval for a listening device to be placed inside Mackerley’s house. The issue was that approvals were limited for probable cause warrants for listening devices inside someone’s home. However, this case seemed to tick all the boxes. The detectives were given the warrant, planted the device, and set up surveillance outside. The couple was extremely cautious and seemed to know that they were being watched and listened to. Detectives would end up with hundreds of hours of music as Costello and Mackerley would turn up the radio in the kitchen when they would be talking.
Getting Away With Murder
After coming up empty on the wiretaps and listening devices detectives were fearful that the couple may get away with murder. In June 1996, Frank Lee was still missing and FBI agent Jay Miller asked to be assigned to the case. The only move they thought they had was to subpoena Lisa Costello and confront her with what they had hoping she would talk. The twist here is that in being subpoenaed Lisa was compelled to come in and tell them what she knew. Doing so would automatically give her immunity. Nothing she said could be used against her.
On June 13, 1996, Lisa Costello appeared before a state grand jury where she was anything but cooperative. She refused to answer any questions put to her by the state’s attorney. The judge even warned her that refusal to answer could have put her in jail for contempt. So she was taken off to jail. Once again the gamble to gain evidence had backfired.
Silent Witness
A confidential source came forward with information from a witness as to what happened to Frank Black. They were concerned that not only could they get in trouble, but they were also fearful of Alan Mackerley and his retribution. Bill Anderson was a former Marine pilot and close friend of Alan Mackerley. He also owned a bus company in New Jersey. Anderson told the agents that his friendship was currently strained with Mackerley, but he was still reluctant to tell them what he knew. In August, agents served Anderson with a subpoena feeling that he would use that as an excuse to tell them what he knew. He told them that Mackerley had bought a plane in early 1996 and asked him to be his private pilot.
In March 1996 Anderson was contacted by Mackerley. He needed him to take the plane out over the ocean. The aircraft was currently grounded for repairs and Anderson suggested renting another plane, but Mackerley told him it needed to be his plane because he didn’t want anyone else to know about the flight. Mackerley told Anderson that he had shot Frank Black in the head and that Mackerley and Costello had wrapped his body up in plastic and dumped it in the ocean. It didn’t sink so they cut into the plastic and Frank soon slipped into the water. Mackerley was worried that Black’s body had resurfaced and he wanted to fly over the area to make sure it hadn’t. Anderson refused his request.
Confession
Anderson was sent undercover wearing a wire. He was reluctant to do this at first but eventually agreed. Anderson placed a call to Mackerley and lured him to his home. He told him that he had been served with a subpoena and asked what he should say. One of the agents remained hidden in the house in case things went south. The plan was to radio the agent when they saw Mackerley pulling up to Anderson’s house. For some reason, they were unable to make contact.
The agent quickly hid while Anderson lead Mackerley to the kitchen showing him the subpoena. Mackerley whispered his responses fearing that he was being listened to. Fortunately, the wire was able to pick up the conversation. They discussed Anderson lying or refusing to answer any questions. Mackerley even said that if Anderson was held in contempt and jailed that he would come forward and tell the truth. Being paranoid, Mackerley didn’t want to continue their conversation in the kitchen and went outside walking close to where the surveillance team was sitting in a car. Although investigators had incriminating statements it still wasn’t enough as they didn’t have a confession.
Doing Time
Meanwhile, Lisa Costello had been sitting in jail for the past three months. The investigators decided to talk to friends and a former roommate to get some background information on Lisa. One roommate told police that Lisa used to sell cocaine and Rohypnol. The investigators suspected that Costello may have drugged Black rendering him unconscious. Once again, prosecutors talked to Costello informing her she could be charged with murder and it was in her best interest to tell them what she knew. Once again she refused to talk. What she didn’t know was that Mackerly would soon join her in prison.
On August 29th investigators moved in and arrested Mackerley as he was leaving to walk his dog. This was seven months after Frank Black’s disappearance.
Another Witness
When Mackerley’s arrest hit the news his son-in-law contacted the investigators to tell them that he had received a call from his father-in-law on February 25th. This was the day after Black had arrived in Florida. Mackerley asked him to come over and help him clean his house. When he arrived he found Costello and Mackerley had been in the process of ripping up the carpet and some of the wall in the entryway of the home.
Mackerley told his son-in-law that Frank Black was at his home which surprised him as he knew their relationship was not good. Mackerley went on to say that due to the OJ Simpson trial they needed to make sure that there were no traces of blood. The son-in-law reported that he didn’t see any blood while he was there. The group used an industrial vacuum cleaner to suck up the debris and then they took everything to the waste dump at the Martin County Landfill. This waste included drywall, carpet, and the vacuum itself. The son-in-law’s story corroborated Anderson’s story that Black was shot and killed in the entryway to Mackerley’s home.
Dumpster Diving
In August the investigators sent an evidence recovery team to the landfill and looked at records from the previous 6 months so they knew the general area to begin looking for the discarded items. For three days under the hot Florida sun, the team searched, and eventually, their search paid off. They found some sheetrock, carpet and the vacuum they believed were from Mackerley’s home. The evidence was taken to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Forensic’s Lab. Unfortunately, none of the items could be matched to Mackerley’s house. Crime scene units also looked at Mackerley’s entryway and found traces of blood, but again a definitive match could not be made.
Pressing On
Investigators were determined to build the strongest circumstantial case they could. They went to all the area stores and collected receipts of Mackerley’s purchases including bleach, trash bags, duct tape, and Comet cleaner. In May 1997 the investigators got some news from inmates at the Martin County Jail. Mackerley was looking to hire someone to kill Bill Anderson. He believed that if Bill wasn’t able to testify against him ten the case would be dropped. The investigators tightened security around Bill and his wife to the point the couple was placed into the Federal Witness Protection program. You would think that Mackerley would be charged with not only witness tampering, but attempted murder-for-hire, but unfortunately, the hitman was not a reliable witness and the charges were never filed.
It’s Time
On January 20, 1998, Alan Mackerley’s trial began in Vero Beach, Florida. The case was solely based on circumstantial evidence as Frank Black’s body had never been found. State prosecutors used case law that relied on the premise that one cannot get away with murder just because they were successful in hiding a body. Prosecutors started out by showing the jury that Frank Black didn’t plan a long trip to Florida. Nor was he looking to disappear. There was no evidence of a planned disappearance or financial maneuverings for starting another life. The prosecutor’s main witness was Bill Anderson and the conversation he had with his friend, Mackerley.
The Prosecutor’s theory of events was that on the evening of February 24, 1996, Lisa Costello pretended to be Mia and picked up Frank at the West Palm Beach Airport. She took him to Mackerley’s house under the pretense that he would be meeting other business contacts there. While waiting prosecutors theorize that Costello drugged Frank’s drink with Rohypnol. Rohypnol is colorless, tasteless, and odorless.
Once the drug had taken effect and Frank passed out, Costello took Frank’s wallet to later go out and lay a false trail. Meanwhile, Mackerley attacked Frank and shot him in the head in the entryway of his home. After wrapping Frank’s body in plastic, Mackerley took the body out in his speedboat and dumped the body 16 miles offshore. He had to stab through the plastic to get the body to sink. Returning home the couple began tearing out anything that had blood on it and wiping it down with bleach. The jury heard all of the evidence and believed the prosecution’s case. On February 4, 1998, they came back with a guilty verdict of kidnapping and murder.
What About Lisa?
Lisa Costello finally got smart. Faced with murder charges she gave a full statement. She received a plea deal for third-degree murder and false imprisonment. Costello was sentenced to ten years in prison and with time served. She was released in 2004. Mackerley had his kidnapping conviction overturned on appeal in 2001. The Florida Supreme Court felt that Frank Black had traveled to Florida under his own volition.
Mackerley was retried a second time, but the trial ended in a mistrial when one juror voted to acquit. Another trial was held in 2003. This time he claimed that he did lure Frank Black to Florida, but did not attend to kill him. He claimed that it was Costello that shot him in self-defense and disposed of his body. Mackerley told the jury that Black had become angered when he discovered the deception and attacked Lisa Costello. She in turn hit him on the head with an exercise weight. He claims that he was on his yacht at the time of the murder. Alan Mackerley, now 59, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison on March 15, 2003.
Resources
- Millionaire Murder | FULL EPISODE | The FBI Files
- Friend says he ratted on suspect
- “West Palm Beach, Florida
- Wikipedia’s “Martin County, Florida”
- Frank Lee Black Jr. – The Charley Project.
- Murder Leads To NJ Probe Into Bus Deals
- Bus Company Owner Convicted in Slaying
- Fort Pierce, FL – Official Website | Official Website