Fab Melo leaves court with associate head coach Bernie Fine Wednesday morning
/ photo: Brandon Roth
SYRACUSE -- CNY Central has obtained new information in the case of Syracuse Orange center Fab Melo, who pleaded not guilty to a criminal mischief charge Wednesday morning.
Syracuse Police tell CNY Central that they took blood stain evidence from Melo's ex-girlfriend. The incident happened on Monday, May 31 in and around the 20-year-old Melo's off campus apartment at Slocum Heights. A Syracuse Police incident report provides new details about a fight that the girlfriend says led to Melo breaking off the lever on her car's steering column and smearing his blood on her shirt.
From the report prepared by Syracuse Police evidence technician Steven Klock: The victim says Mr. de Melo (Melo's full name is Fabricio de Melo) had an injury to his hand and was bleeding. She stated she was in the vehicle when Mr. de Melo reached into the vehicle and broke the lever on the left side of the steering column which controls the windshield wipers and other functions. Mr. de Melo than wiped his bloody hand on the victim as he pulled it from the vehicle. I photographed the shirt which appeared to have blood on it. I then photographed the vehicle and observed what appeared to be blood on the aforementioned lever. After taking photos of these areas, I made three DNA swabs, one from each area, which I later turned into property as evidence.
Other documents prepared by Syracuse Police reveal more about the fight the victim says took place prior to the incident with the vehicle. The victim says Melo was in a jealous rage over comments posted to her Facebook page.
You can read more about what the victim calls her "volatile relationship" with Melo from Syracuse.com's coverage here.
Melo recently completed his freshman year at SU, where he started 24 games with averages of 2 points and 2 rebounds. He is originally from Brazil, but spent his senior year of high school in Westin, Florida.
Late Thursday evening, Melo offered an apology for his actions on Facebook, writing: "I love this city, I'm sure one day my star will shine in here. Mistakes won't stop it."
