Alleged Murderer Offered Plea Deal, Victim's Family Surprised

The man accused of killing a father of six has been offered a plea deal, and the victim's family has been left in the dark.

"He give you the money. Why you kill him? Why you kill him?" asked Fapyo Ghazal.

It's the question that's haunted Fapyo Ghazal and his family for more than a year. And now Frankie Resto, the man accused of killing Fapyo's father, Ibrahim, has been offered a plea deal with no say from the victim's family.

"They kill him two times," said Fapyo. "They kill him with the early release program, and they kill him now with this thing."

The state's early release program allowed Resto to leave jail months before his sentence was completed, and in that time Ghazal was killed.

Now the family is hearing a plea deal is on the table but have no idea what's in the deal. They haven't even been told whether the prosecutor or judge offered it.

"They've given more deference to the criminal than they have the family that suffered from their father's murder," said Len Suzio, a former state senator who represented the district at the time the crime took place. Suzio is also a member of the Victim's Advocate Advisory Committee.

"If they're going to make this deal, there's no justice," said Ghazal.

While Resto's attorney said he could not comment on plea negotiations, he did say Resto will need to decide if he'll even accept the deal. And that before any final agreement is sought, the victim's family will be allowed to give their input. But the family wants the offer rescinded.

"In one second, I lost him," said Fapyo.

In surveillance video from June of last year, police say Ghazal gave Resto the money he demanded but then Resto shot him in the chest anyway.

Fapyo doesn't understand how a man who could do that could be given another break in the justice system.

"I'm going to see him in the street, this guy who killed my dad. That's what's going to happen," said Fapyo.

Resto's next court date is scheduled for October third.
 

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