Music teacher asked sister-in-law for help moving a piano while his wife was out of town, and then strangled her: Police

A New York antheral who worked arsenic a euphony teacher astatine an simple schoolhouse has been charged with the execution of his sister-in-law.

Joseph Horner, 27, is being held without enslaved aft prosecutors said helium strangled his sister-in-law, 25-year-old Victoria Castle. The Nassau County Police Department said successful a property merchandise that officers responded to a location successful North Massapequa, New York, astatine 8:44 a.m. connected Monday aft receiving a telephone astir an unresponsive woman. When they arrived astatine the home, they recovered Castle and transported her to the hospital, wherever she was pronounced dead.

Prosecutors said Horner, who placed the 911 telephone himself, was waiting for officers connected the beforehand structure of the home.

Local NBC affiliate WNBC was in the courtroom for Horner's arraignment connected Tuesday, erstwhile helium pleaded not blameworthy to intentional murder. Prosecutors said that earlier Horner called 911 to study that Castle was not breathing, helium allegedly strangled her and sexually assaulted her aft she was unconscious. According to WNBC's reporting, Horner and Castle lived successful the aforesaid multifamily location successful adjoining apartments. Horner is joined to Castle's sister.

Prosecutors said that aft Horner allegedly assaulted Castle, helium changed his clothes, called 911, and waited for constabulary to get connected the stoop. Horner allegedly told constabulary that helium lured Castle to his flat by telling her helium needed assistance moving a piano. After she came upstairs to his apartment, helium came up down her and allegedly held her successful a chokehold until she went limp.

According to prosecutors, Horner told constabulary that helium had been funny successful Castle since 2017, a twelvemonth aft helium met her sister. Horner said that his wife, whom helium joined 3 years ago, was retired of municipality astatine a bachelorette enactment connected the time helium allegedly killed Castle.

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Horner was employed arsenic a euphony teacher successful the Oceanside School District. In a statement provided to section ABC affiliate WABC, a spokesperson from the territory said Horner had been "placed connected administrative permission effectual immediately, pending further review. We person nary further accusation astatine this time."

Horner is owed backmost successful tribunal connected July 2.