Kevin Wratni found dead at Big Deal Pizzeria and Grill
Rochester police have identified the man found dead at a city pizzeria.
Kevin Wratni, 28, of Rochester was found dead about 1:30 p.m. yesterday at Big Deal Pizzeria and Grill, 475 Monroe Ave.
Rochester Police Chief David Moore said co-workers found the man in a rear portion of the business about two or three hours after they arrived for work.
Wratni was found in a chair in an office area. Moore said the entry doors were locked when the two co-workers arrived Sunday.
Wratni owned the pizza shop, which was a labor of love by him and his family. Wratni’s younger brothers, Brian and Scott, as well as other family members, had helped him renovate the building. The shop opened in 2009.
“He was motivated, happy, always driven,” Brian Wratni said. “He was really smart. Me and my brother, we looked up to him.”
Kevin Wratni was a graduate of Irondequoit High School and a 2005 graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology, where he majored in packaging science.
“We’re all stunned,” said John Follaco, a longtime friend. “We lost a great friend. We couldn’t have lost a better person. He got more out of his 28 years than anyone got out of 28 years ever.”
Police are investigating the death as suspicious. Moore said, “At this time, there is nothing very obvious in terms of cause of death.”
The Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office is assisting in the investigation.
