Joe Correnti's Demise Knife Attack: Witness in Cops’ Trail is Slain

 

A prominent figure in the Sally Stanford burglary trial died yesterday 13 hours after he assertedly was stabbed by his girlfriend’s enraged ex-husband. Joseph Correnti, 39, was knifed in the chest, back, face, and arms Sunday afternoon by Phillip F. Salvia, a 29-year old Santa Clara meat cutter, police said.

Investigating officers said the car salesman was stabbed after Salvia brought his three children back to his ex-wife, Madeline, 24, at their home at 20 Rolph Street after a Sunday visit. He saw Correnti sitting in the living room.

SHAME
"It’s a dirty shame I have to lose my family because of you," he shouted.

Officers said Salvia went outside after his wife threatened to telephone police, but banged on the door shortly after and lunged inside, waving a knife — and attacked Correnti as Salvia’s children and former wife watched helplessly, then fled.

Later in the evening, however, he walked up to a California Highway Patrolman parked at a Millbrae drive-in and tossed the blood stained, chrome-plated pocket knife into the patrol car.

KILLING
"I just killed some guy in San Francisco," he said. " He was turning my children against me."

Salvia was brought to City Prison where he was booked on a charge of attempted murder. He was re-charged yesterday for murder.

Correnti had been scheduled to appear before Superior Judge Francis McCarty yesterday, for sentencing on his recent conviction of conspiring to forge and falsify auto ownership certificates.

WITNESS
Correnti had been a defense witness for convicted police officer Salvatore Polani in the Sally Stanford burglary case. His testimony questioned the honesty and integrity of Robert K. Worthington, the key prosecution witness who tipped police of the plan to burglarize Miss Stanford’s Pacific Heights mansion.

He had known Worthington for 20 years, he said, testifying the contractor’s reputation for honesty "was not too good."