Police have arrested a suspect in the fatal strangulation of Egizio Panetti, a New York City art dealer known for his flamboyant style and described as “the real Auntie Mame.” The breakthrough came Sunday when the suspect, Larry Powlis, was apprehended shoplifting from a TJ Maxx in Midtown Manhattan.
Powlis, 60, was charged Monday with Panetti’s murder. According to authorities and sources, Powlis attempted to mislead officers by providing the false name Larry Davis, but his fingerprints led investigators to his true identity and an existing warrant.
The investigation into Panetti's death began in September 2024 when neighbors found him deceased in his Spring Street apartment during a wellness check. Police sources indicated that Powlis and Panetti, who was legally blind and battling cancer, had met on the street and later went to Panetti's residence. Surveillance footage reportedly showed Powlis leaving the apartment in different clothing than he was wearing earlier.
Friends and acquaintances remembered Panetti as a unique and "fabulous cape-loving 'Venetian count'" who was "simply one of a kind." His style was often compared to the iconic character Auntie Mame from the 1958 film.
Investigators had identified Powlis as a suspect early in the case but awaited official confirmation from the Medical Examiner's office and DNA evidence. A ruling on the cause of death and further evidence allowed police to formally name him as a suspect on September 3, leading to his arrest on Sunday.
Powlis has a prior sex offense conviction in Texas and was awaiting arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court.