'She never saw it coming': Man who randomly stabbed on-duty EMS worker to death months before her retirement learns his fate

The antheral recovered blameworthy of randomly murdering a beloved archetypal responder successful New York astir 3 years agone has learned his fate.

Peter Zisopoulos, 37, was sentenced connected Monday to 25 years to beingness successful situation for murdering New York City Fire Department EMS Lieutenant Alison Russo-Elling. He was convicted of second-degree murder and transgression possession of a limb during a 12-day assemblage proceedings that began connected May 7. The assemblage reached a verdict aft little than an hr of deliberations.

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Russo-Elling was months distant from retirement connected Sept. 29, 2022, erstwhile she walked from her occurrence presumption to a adjacent nutrient store for a luncheon interruption during her shift. Zisopoulos is said to person near his flat building, "raced" toward Russo-Elling, who was successful uniform, and "shoved her to the sidewalk," proceedings grounds revealed. The suspect past "repeatedly plunged a room weapon into the 61-year-old woman's thorax and abdomen, penetrating her liver, lungs and heart," Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.

The unfortunate was stabbed much than 20 times, authorities said. A adjacent scooter operator saw the onslaught and yelled for Zisopoulos to stop, causing the culprit to pursuit him down with the knife. According to Katz, "Zisopoulos past doubled back, passed Russo arsenic she bled connected the sidewalk, turned the country and walked into his flat building."

Another passerby is said to person sought retired assistance astatine the adjacent EMS station. Police past arrived astatine Zisopoulos' flat and, aft a standoff, arrested him. When they did, they recovered a weapon successful his pocket, Katz noted, with some his and Russo-Elling's DNA connected it.

Russo-Elling was taken to a adjacent hospital, wherever she was pronounced dead. She was posthumously promoted to captain.

On Monday, earlier Zisopoulos' maximum imaginable condemnation was announced, Russo-Elling's household members had affectional words for the antheral who took her life.

"You are a monster," her daughter, Danielle Russo, told Zisopoulos, according to WABC video of the sentencing connected Monday. "You sat successful this courtroom with perfectly nary absorption to your savage onslaught connected my mother. She ne'er saw it coming."

FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker added that Russo-Elling "has been missed each azygous time since her senseless murder."

"Today, we are appreciative that her slayer has been sentenced to the maximum punishment: 25 years to life. This sentencing speaks to the brutality of the crime, and though it won't bring her back, I commune it volition yet springiness her household the closure they deserve," Tucker said.

Zisopoulos did not look to cognize his victim, and by each appearances, the onslaught was random and unprovoked. His nationalist defender lawyer said helium had a "past psychiatric past going backmost to 2018," according to The Associated Press.

Katz said New York volition "always retrieve FDNY EMS Captain Alison Russo arsenic a hero, who – for 24 years – served our metropolis and saved countless lives," noting that "in the acheronian days" aft Sept. 11, 2001, she assisted successful hunt and betterment efforts successful New York City.

"Nothing volition bring Captain Russo back, but we anticipation that the symptom and grief implicit her nonaccomplishment volition lessen with today's sentencing," the territory lawyer added. "This suspect volition present service 25 years to beingness successful situation for this brutal and senseless crime."