Person of interest in case of 4 missing Pennsylvania men confesses to murders

4 Pennsylvania men between ages 19 and 22 are missing and the person of interest named in their disappearance has confessed to their murders. Cosmo DiNardo made the full confession in exchange for a more merciful sentence.

One of his defense attorneys, Paul Lang, made this known to reporters on Thursday afternoon. He said the District Attorney's Office promised that the death penalty would not be sought in exchange for DiNardo's full confession.

Lang said the motive for the murders will come out in time. He also said the suspect felt "deep remorse" and was "very emotional."

While confessing, DiNardo told authorities the location of the four bodies. The remains of Dean Finocchiaro, 19, of Middletown, Pennsylvania were found on Wednesday in a grave 12-feet deep on a sprawling property owned by DiNardo's parents. Jimi Tar Patrick, 19, of Newtown Township, has been missing since Wednesday, while Finocchiaro, Mark Sturgis, 22, of Pennsburg, and Tom Meo, 21, of Plumstead, all disappeared Friday.

DiNardo was first arrested on Monday on charges relating to illegal possession of a shotgun and ammunition. The following day, he was named a person of interest in the disappearances, but he was released from custody after he posted a $1 million bail. However, on Wednesday, authorities arrested him again on charges he tried to sell one of the suspect, Meo's 1996 Nissan Maxima a day after he was last seen. DiNardo's bail was set at $5 million in cash, the highest that Bucks County Magisterial District Judge Maggie Snow has ever set.

At a press conference early Thursday morning, shortly after midnight, Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub addressed DiNardo, saying, "I feel that we bought ourselves a little bit of time in charging Mr. DiNardo with the stolen car case today and getting that 5 million dollar bail. It is my hope that he does not post that but that is his prerogative of course if he can post it, but we’re going to start looking seriously at the homicide charges and in fact we already have pursued that option."

The DiNardo family's lawyer, Fortunato Perri Jr., had previously said in a statement that Cosmo DiNardo's parents are cooperating with law enforcement.

He said: "As parents, Mr. and Mrs. DiNardo sympathize with the parents and families of the missing young men and they are cooperating in every way possible with the investigation being conducted by law enforcement."