Police Find Suspected Murder Weapon Used In Fargo Dentist's Beating

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Police say the Porsche stolen from a slain dentist has been returned to Fargo on the same trailer that hauled it away.

An Oklahoma City man, Michael Nakvinda, is charged with killing dentist Philip Gattuso on Oct. 26. Authorities say Gattuso was struck in the head several times with a hammer and a bloody hammer later was found on the passenger-side floorboard of the Porsche.

Gattuso's father-in-law, Gene Kirkpatrick, is accused of hiring Nakvinda to kill Gattuso because he did not like the way Gattuso was raising Kirkpatrick's granddaughter after her mother died. Kirkpatrick faces conspiracy charges.

Police said Nakvinda stole the car from Gattuso's home and hauled it to Oklahoma after the killing. Lt. Tod Dahle said it's now in a police storage garage.

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Information from: KFGO-AM, http://kfgo.com

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

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