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He Wanted to be Buried at Sea
But this isn’t what he envisioned.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is notable for its luxurious mansions, opulent lifestyles, and year-round sunny weather. That’s what lured 70-year-old Ronald “Ron” Vinci to move there in 2005 on the advice of a friend. He’d had numerous fights with his wealthy California neighbors, and it was time to retire. So when a friend suggested moving to Florida, he took the advice. He had successful Honda dealerships in California and Las Vegas. Selling those businesses made him a millionaire.
He settled in the beautiful city of Fort Lauderdale with his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Catherine Pileggi, sixteen years his junior, and a former flight attendant. With his wealth, he bought two mansions, a luxurious penthouse, and a yacht. The couple lived the good life, though Pileggi would claim he was always abusive.
The two broke up, and she was briefly married to another man, a relationship that lasted only a couple of months. To the surprise of his friends, Pileggi and Vinci were soon a couple again, though he complained to friends that he wanted to break up with her but couldn’t do it.
In 2011, he moved into a mansion on the water and planned to sell the penthouse and other property. Pileggi lived in the penthouse condo and didn’t want him to sell. He wanted to move…
