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Man accused of killing family over $200,000, Bulgarian call girl stole hospital drugs, police say

By Kevin Williams and Ken Tyndall
By Kevin Williams and Ken Tyndall

ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando police have released body camera video of an encounter with a Seminole County man now accused of killing his parents and brother over $200,000 and a Bulgarian online call girl.

The video shows Grant Amato, dressed in blue hospital scrubs, standing in a parking lot with his arms crossed, being questioned and arrested for stealing medicine from his employer in June 2018.

Police said Amato was working at Florida Hospital at the time when he was arrested for stealing Propofol, an anesthetic most commonly known as the drug that killed singer Michael Jackson. At one point, an officer asks Amato if he ever thought about suicide.

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Officer: "Have you ever had any suicidal thoughts?"
Amato: "No, sir. Never had any thoughts like that." 
Officer: "Ever thought about how you would do it?"
Amato: "No. Never really had the [expletive] to think about anything like that." 

"He's been giving those to patients, it sounds like, non-prescribed, to keep them quiet at night 'cause he doesn't wanna deal with them," an officer can be heard saying in the video.

Amato blamed what he did on “stupidity,” but also tried to justify what he did.

"With my history of anesthesia school, I almost felt like, you know, I know what all the drugs do," Amato says in the video.

Amato also talked about his goals of financially helping his parents in the future. Seven months later, he was accused of killing them and his brother at their home in Chuluota.

Police said Amato later wrote an apology letter to the hospital.

After that, Amato was unemployed for a number of months as Seminole County sheriff's deputies said he stole more than $200,000 from his family to contact a Bulgarian online call girl.

Previous coverage: Argument over $200,000 & a Bulgarian call girl led man to kill parents & brother, warrant claims

The arrest warrant said Amato's family tried to get help for the 29-year-old. He had been in a Fort Lauderdale rehab facility on a voluntary basis for internet and sex addiction in December and early January. When Amato returned home, his family asked him not to contact the woman, the warrant said.

Investigators say Amato's father, Chad Amato, confronted his son on Jan. 24 after learning he had spoken to the woman via Twitter. Chad ordered Grant to move out of the house, and a heated argument ensued, deputies said.

The next day, when Cody Amato didn't report to work at Advent Hospital East Orlando, his girlfriend called police to check the home.

Chad, his wife Margaret, and their son Cody were found dead in their Chuloata home. Deputies say Amato killed his family members execution style.

According to the arrest warrant, Cody's girlfriend also told investigators that she and her late boyfriend "once had a conversation where Cody told her that she was afraid that Grant would kill everyone."

Previous coverage: Argument over $200,000 & a Bulgarian call girl led man to kill parents & brother, warrant claims

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