Overview
- Prosecutors say Joseph Horner asked his sister‑in‑law to help move a piano and then attacked her, placing her in a chokehold before calling 911; emergency crews performed CPR and the woman was later pronounced dead, according to authorities.
- Horner, 27, was arraigned on a charge of second‑degree murder, pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail while prosecutors pursue the case.
- The victim is identified as 25‑year‑old Victoria Castle, a PhD student at Stony Brook University who lived in a ground‑floor apartment in the shared North Massapequa home.
- The Oceanside School District placed Horner, a tenured elementary music teacher, on administrative leave, and his attorney has said the allegations do not fit the community’s view of him.
- Prosecutors told the court they believe Horner had harbored a prolonged sexual interest in the victim and investigators say they may seek additional charges as the homicide probe and pretrial process continue.