Frank Marra worked at the Staten Island Landfill World Trade Center Recovery Site from September 2001 until February 2002, an experience that served as inspiration for From Landfill to Hallowed Ground: The Largest Crime Scene in America. His law enforcement career included seventeen years with the New York City Police Department and the rank of Detective and then Lieutenant. He was born in Staten Island, New York, and currently resides in Millstone, New Jersey, with his wife Laura and three sons, Anthony, Dominic, and Frank.

Maria Bellia Abbate, inspired by Frank’s experiences at the Recovery Site, was eager to assist in helping to put all his stories and memories together to create From Landfill to Hallowed Ground. Currently she is a teacher in Staten Island. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Maria lives in Millstone, New Jersey, with her husband Michael and her three children, Alexa, Michael, and Delilah.