NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A Long Island music teacher is charged with second-degree murder in the death of his sister-in-law, which Nassau County prosecutors allege was the result of a sexually-motivated attack.
Prosecutors said that Joseph Horner, 27, strangled his sister-in-law, who was found not breathing by police inside a ground-floor apartment on North Oak Street in North Massapequa on Monday morning.
Horner, who lives in an upstairs apartment attached to the home, allegedly asked his 25-year-old sister-in-law to assist him in moving a piano while his wife was away. Once he was with the victim, Nassau County Assistant District Attorney Alexander DePalo alleges that Horner put her in an unprovoked chokehold "until her body went limp," sexually assaulted her, changed clothes, called 911 and waited for police to arrive.
According to prosecutors, Horner had an attraction toward his sister-in-law for nine years.
"My understanding is that he was happily married for the past three years ... his wife and him lived in the same house with his sister-in-law, who lived in another apartment," defense attorney Greg Grizopoulos told reporters. "What the motivation was and what the allegations are, we'll figure out as we move forward."
Horner pleaded not guilty to the charge at his arraignment Tuesday, with Grizopoulos describing his emotional state as "in shock at the charges and the allegations." Family of the Oceanside music teacher and victim packed the courtroom, with tears on both sides.
"They're torn; obviously they love their son, they love their daughter-in-law, and their daughter-in-law's sister, so they're in a very emotional state," Grizopoulos said of Horner's family. "Their hearts and prayers go out to the family. But they're very concerned about these allegations, and they're very affected, but they're here to support their son and really the whole family."
The district attorney's office could add more charges as the investigation continues.
