Overview of Party — Sword and Scale
This episode of Sword and Scale, titled "Party," recounts the killing of 26-year-old Joey Communale after a night out in Manhattan (November 2016). What begins as a club-hopping evening ends in a brutal homicide, an attempted cover-up, and a body dumped and later found in New Jersey. The episode follows the night’s events, the discovery of evidence, the police investigation, and the later criminal outcomes — while highlighting the pressures and performances of nightlife culture that helped turn a petty argument into a fatal assault.
Key facts (quick)
- Victim: Joey Communale, 26, frequently visited NYC from Stamford, CT; studied legal studies and business.
- Night: November 12, 2016 — party at Gilded Lily (Meatpacking District) then to apartment 4C at The Grand Sutton (Sutton Place).
- Perpetrators/people involved: James Rackover (born James Bodwin), Larry DeLeon, Max Gemma; Jeffrey Rackover (wealthy jeweler who had taken James under his wing).
- Crime: Joey beaten, stabbed repeatedly (autopsy cited ~15 stab wounds), wrapped in plastic/comforter, doused with gasoline and burned, dumped from the apartment (four stories) and later buried/shallow-grave disposal attempt in Oceanport, NJ.
- How police connected it: surveillance footage, trash recovered by a building porter (bloodied towels, bleach-stained rags, Joey’s clothes and personal items), cellphone pings, and a Mercedes linked to Jeffrey Rackover.
- Legal outcomes: James Rackover convicted/serving 28 years to life (charged with second-degree murder); Larry pled to manslaughter (23 years); Max served ~4 months for hindering prosecution; Jeffrey Rackover disappeared from public view.
Timeline of events (condensed)
- Night: Joey and friends leave Gilded Lily; Joey walks into a larger group and is invited to an after-party at apartment 4C (James Rackover’s place).
- Early morning: After the women leave, four men remain (Joey, James, Larry, Max). Tension escalates over a petty argument — specifically about who “contributed” most to the party (drugs, drinks).
- Assault: A physical altercation devolves into a deadly beating and multiple stab wounds; James becomes the most violent actor. Joey is left for dead, stripped of valuables, wrapped in plastic and a comforter; attempts are made to clean and destroy evidence (bleach, burning).
- Disposal: Joey’s body is dropped from the apartment and later moved; police later recovered his burned body buried behind a flower shop in Oceanport, NJ.
- Investigation: Joey’s father files a missing person; building trash revealed bloody evidence; surveillance footage and phone pings tie suspects to the disposal; Larry ultimately gives police location information.
- Prosecution: Arrests and trials follow; convictions and pleas as noted above.
People & roles
- Joey Communale — victim; outgoing, liked nightlife, visiting NYC frequently.
- James Rackover (James Bodwin) — lived in the building, groomed by Jeffrey Rackover, with a lengthy criminal past; principal aggressor charged with murder.
- Larry DeLeon — volatile, carried a pocket knife; participated in the assault and assisted in disposal; pleaded to manslaughter.
- Max Gemma — more passive at the scene; initially lied about leaving early; convicted/charged with hindering prosecution and served a short sentence.
- Jeffrey Rackover — wealthy jeweler; had taken James under his wing and lent his name/status; vehicle used in disposal; later disappears from the public record.
Evidence and investigation highlights
- Building surveillance showing Joey entering the Grand Sutton with Larry and others and not leaving.
- Trash pulled by a building porter contained blood-soaked towels, bleach-stained rags, Joey’s clothes, broken chain, wallet — pivotal in prompting a deeper search.
- Cellphone pings and surveillance tied a Mercedes registered to Jeffrey Rackover to the night’s disposal movements.
- Forensics/autopsy: multiple stab wounds, defensive injuries, burn damage consistent with gasoline attempt to destroy evidence.
- Cadaver dog and detectives located Joey buried in a shallow grave behind a flower shop in Oceanport, NJ.
Legal outcomes & sentences
- James Rackover: convicted of murder; serving 28 years to life.
- Larry DeLeon: pleaded to manslaughter; sentenced to 23 years (appealing at time of episode).
- Max Gemma: convicted/had sentence for hindering prosecution and served roughly four months.
- Jeffrey Rackover: effectively disappeared from the public record rather than being publicly charged in the episode’s telling.
Themes and takeaways
- Nightlife performance and ego: a trivial dispute about “contributions” to a party escalated due to bravado, alcohol/drugs, and performative masculinity.
- Danger of substance-fueled environments: drug/alcohol use lowered inhibitions and contributed to the violent escalation and poor decisions (cover-up).
- The persistence of past criminal behavior: James’ history, name change, and grooming by an influential figure illustrate how past patterns can resurface despite surface-level success.
- Importance of persistence by loved ones: Joey’s father pushing for investigation—and a porter checking trash—were key to uncovering the crime.
- Practical warning: watch out for group dynamics that reward aggression or humiliation; stay connected with friends and follow up on missed check-ins.
Notable quote(s)
- “That’s what you get for messing with my boy.” — reported as said by James during the assault (illustrative of the violent, possessive, and retaliatory mindset driving the attack).
Sources / context
- Narrative is a retelling from the Sword and Scale episode “Party,” summarizing police reports, witness statements, surveillance, and trial outcomes as presented in the episode.
- Episode includes multiple sponsor ad reads interspersed through the narrative (Boots pharmacy, Liqueur hangover gummies, Love Indus skincare, Strong Coffee Company, Good Feels, Cozy Earth).
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