Peter Zisopoulos sentenced in stabbing death of Long Island's FDNY-EMS Capt. Alison Russo

A Queens man was sentenced to 25 years-to-life in prison Monday for the murder of Alison Russo, an FDNY-EMS captain from Huntington he stabbed to death in September 2022 on an Astoria street corner.

Queens State Supreme Court Judge Ushir Pandit-Durant hit Peter Zisopoulos, 37, with the expected maximum sentence after a jury found him guilty in May of second-degree murder in the unprovoked attack on Russo, 61, as she walked. The jury, which deliberated about an hour, also convicted Zisopoulos of criminal possession of a weapon.

Zisopoulos, who appeared in court Monday wearing an orange prison jump suit he had worn at trial, declined to say anything to the court before sentencing.

Russo’s daughter Danille Fuoco, 43, of Shoreham, laced into Zisopoulos with a victim impact statement.

"You are a monster, you sat in this courtroom with absolutely no reaction to your savage attack on my mother," said Fuoco in her statement, addressing the defendant. "You are a coward, and now an entire city wishes the worst for you."

Videotape evidence and eyewitness testimony depicted Zisopoulos, who had a history of schizophrenia and other mental health issues, suddenly attacking Russo, stabbing her more than 20 times with a kitchen knife, including nine that pierced her heart. Autopsy photos displayed during the trial of Russo’s injuries showed her torso with so many stab wounds that hardly any vital organs were unscathed.

The evidence in the case seemed overwhelming and often defense attorneys conducted no significant cross-examination of witnesses. In one video, Zisopoulos is seen suddenly rushing up behind Russo, who screamed when he knocked her to the ground. Another more graphic video showed Zisopoulos stabbing Russo in what seemed like a frenzy of knife thrusts as she lay on her back and offered no resistance, the only sign of her ebbing life a slight movement of her left arm.

EMS staffers who rushed to the scene minutes after the attack tried to give aid to Russo but testified she was already dead.

In his defense, Zisopoulos testified at his 12-day trial denying that he was the man seen on the videos stabbing Russo, claiming it was likely a caricature. In pretrial hearings various experts testified that Zisopoulos, who earlier in his life was in the U.S. military and had attended Stony Brook University for a year, was delusional and psychotic. During lengthy pretrial proceedings in the months leading up the trial, Zisopoulos was found both fit and unfit to stand trial.

Yet, despite the expert assessments that Zisopoulos was unfit for trial, Judge Pandit-Durant found him legally fit. Legal experts believe the issue of the defendant’s mental fitness to stand trial is likely to be the basis for an appeal.

Russo was a 24-year veteran of the department and also volunteered at the Huntington Community First Aid Squad.

In a separate comment to Newsday on Monday, Fuoco said she was thankful for all the support the FDNY gave her family and that she planned to go forward as best she could now that the trial was over.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz acknowledged that nothing could bring Russo back but at a news conference after the sentencing said the verdict and prison sentence was a message that first responders need to be protected as they carry out their duties.

Katz said Zisopoulos had treatment for his mental illnesses and the court gave a full and fair hearing to the issue of his competency.

"We hope that the pain and grief over her loss will lessen with today’s sentencing," said Katz in a prepared statement.

Defense attorney Jonathan Latimer couldn’t be reached for comment after sentencing.

Before the trial, Zisopoulos’ mothe,r Neophyta Zisopoulos, said in a statement that a head injury he sustained as a child may have contributed to his mental illness. She couldn’t be reached for additional comment Monday.