WFLA

St. Pete panhandler tells cops he’s the ‘next serial killer’: police

(Photo courtesy of Pinellas County Jail)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — St. Petersburg police said a man told them he was “the next serial killer” among other things after they arrested him for panhandling Thursday morning.

Police said they arrested 41-year-old Chris Ricigliano at the corner of 54th Avenue South and 34th Street South around 9:50 a.m. He was walking on the median, holding a sign asking for money, according to police.

Police said they had given Ricigliano several warnings in the past, even on the day before the incident.

After his arrest, Ricigliano allegedly told police a number of things.

According to the affidavit, he asked one officer if he was working tomorrow because he was going to become the next serial killer and police would need to shoot him. He also told police he made $150 a day panhandling and he would turn to burglaries if he couldn’t panhandle.

Police said they found syringes and a glass pipe in his possession, which were sent to a lab. They said Ricigliano told them he was an addict and needed to be thrown in jail for two weeks to break the addiction.

Ricigliano was charged with street vending.