Joseph Horner, Oceanside music teacher, charged in strangulation death of sister-in-law

An Oceanside music teacher has been charged with the strangulation killing of his sister-in-law.

Joseph Horner, 27, of North Massapequa, pleaded not guilty in the killing of the 25-year-old woman, who was found not breathing by police on Monday morning in a ground-floor apartment attached to a home on North Oak Street in North Massapequa.

Nassau County Assistant District Attorney Alexander DePalo on Tuesday said Horner, who lives in an upstairs apartment at the home, had asked the victim for help in moving a piano and "without warning and unprovoked" then attacked her from behind and placed her in a chokehold "until her body went limp."

DePalo alleged that Horner then sexually abused the woman, changed his clothes, called 911 at 8:45 a.m. and waited for police to arrive.

When police arrived, they performed CPR on the woman and took her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 9:25 a.m., police said.

Police identified the victim as Victoria Castle, 25, of Massapequa. Police said she was a PhD student at Stony Brook University.

Police said Castle had known Horner since 2016, when Horner met his future wife. The couple had been married for three years. His wife was not home at the time he is accused of killing Castle. 

Prosecutors said Horner admitted choking his sister-in-law. 

A judge on Tuesday ordered Horner remanded without bail and issued an order of protection for his wife. 

Horner, a music teacher at the Oceanside School District, has been placed on administrative leave. A district website listed him as teaching at North Oceanside Road Elementary School #5, which serves grades 1 through 6 

He received his music teaching certificate in 2020. It was renewed in March. 

"We understand that this news is deeply disturbing," Phyllis Harrington, superintendent of schools, said in a statement Tuesday.

Horner's attorney, Gregory Grizopoulos, described his client as a teacher "loved by his students and his colleagues."

"This seems to be allegations that are very not in line with what the community and his friends and his family would believe," Grizopoulos said.

Horner is charged with second-degree murder. Police said additional charges could be filed. If he is convicted on the murder count, he could face 25 years to life in prison.