Police ID person of interest in murders of mom, son who found 25-pound gold bar

The bodies of Beverly Giannonatti and her son Gregory Giannonatti were found late Sunday by Montana cops. (Department of Justice)

A convicted felon has been identified by Montana cops as a person of interest in the deaths of a mother and son who recently came into possession of a 25-pound gold bar worth nearly half a million dollars.

David Wayne Nelson is currently being held without bail in Deer Lodge on an unrelated probation violation, The Montana Standard reported. But cops are looking closely at Nelson in connection to the deaths of Beverly Giannonatti, 79, and Gregory Giannonatti, 57. The pair disappeared Oct. 28 and their bodies were found late Sunday.

Sheriff Scott Howard would not say how the Giannonattis were killed, pending an autopsy.

Nelson, who was previously convicted of aggravated kidnapping and robbery in unrelated cases, was ordered held without bail at his probation hearing on Monday after assistant county attorney Patrick Moody called Nelson a flight risk and alluded to a possible double homicide charge to come.

Police located two dump sites on private property in a wooded area on Sunday, according to The Standard. One site had evidence of a crime and the other contained the Giannonattis' bodies.

Howard wouldn’t say what evidence was found at the first site, or if the $480,000 gold bar was recovered.

“I know you and the public want more information, but it is my duty to protect the integrity of the case,” Howard said. “It is our goal to prosecute to the fullest.”

Beverly Giannonatti reportedly retrieved the gold bar on Oct. 19 from a cleaning woman who discovered it in home of Giannonatti’s late ex-husband, The Washington Post reported. A little over a week later, she and Gregory vanished.

“The valley has gone from being frantic to just sad,” a friend of Beverly told The Standard. “Who would kidnap such a lovely lady?”