Images of a Man Suspected of Decapitating His Stepfather Have Gone Viral — He Is Covered in Blood

While there is certainly no shortage of crime stories when it comes to New York City, one shouldn't discount Staten Island. The middle-class borough has often been the butt of many classist jokes, but it's a great place for landscape lovers and park dwellers who are looking for a picturesque good time. And like NYC, it also has its own suspected serial killer in the form of Andre Rand, who is currently in prison for the abduction of two young girls. They were never found.

Although Rand's crimes occurred more than 40 years ago, what he did still haunts the residents of Staten Island to this day. There have been other polarizing crimes since, like the killing of Eric Garner, a Black man who died at the hands of a police officer who performed an illegal chokehold. More than a decade later, a bizarre crime has left the people of Staten Island feeling shocked and sickened. Here's what we know about the deeply disturbing decapitation.

According to PIX11, on Oct. 7, a 16-year-old girl found the mutilated body of a 45-year-old man in a bathtub of a Staten Island home. Following the discovery, the young girl reported the incident to police. The victim had multiple stab wounds to his head and neck, and was later identified as Anthony Casalaspro, per the outlet.

Authorities arrested 19-year-old Damien Hurstel, the victim's stepson, and charged him with murder and criminal possession of a weapon in connection to Casalaspro's death. As of this writing a motive has not been revealed, but police records show that Hurstel and Casalaspro's partner previously filed numerous domestic violence complaints against the 45-year-old.

Per the New York Post, between 2021 and 2023, authorities were called to Casalaspro's home for domestic violence-related reasons five times. A neighbor told The Post about a time when Hurstel's mother was screaming outside in front of their home on Carey Avenue. "I never heard anyone scream like that," recalled the neighbor. "She was on the ground, her leg was bent the wrong way. I said, 'Do you want me to call 911?' [The boyfriend] said, 'No, you’re fine, you’re fine.'" Her leg was broken.

Casalaspro also allegedly slapped Hurstel at least one time. Back in 2022, Hurstel's mother told a 911 dispatcher that her son threatened to attempt suicide and went as far as cutting his hand multiple times.

Images of Hurstel being led into an ambulance went viral. The 19-year-old is handcuffed and covered in blood. Hurstel shows little emotion as he is being placed onto a gurney. The footage was shared to the SIAdvance/SILive TikTok. Comments range from outrage about the gruesomeness of Casalaspro's death to sympathy for the suspect, who was allegedly living in an abusive home.