Victoria Castle death: Oceanside teacher charged with murder
On June 29, 2026, Nassau County police responded to a reported family disturbance at 285 North Oak Street in North Massapequa, where 25-year-old Victoria Castle was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead. Joseph Horner, 27, an Oceanside School District music teacher and Castle's brother-in-law, was arrested at the scene and charged with second-degree murder.
What began as a Monday morning 911 call for an injured person in a quiet Long Island neighborhood turned into a homicide investigation that shut down streets for 12 hours and ended with murder charges against a local elementary school teacher. The case has drawn intense attention across Nassau County because of the family ties, the suspect's profession, and the violent allegations prosecutors outlined in court.
Key Takeaways
- Police responded around 8:45 a.m. on June 29, 2026, to 285 North Oak Street after Joseph Horner called 911 requesting an ambulance for a female victim.
- Victoria Castle, a 25-year-old Stony Brook University PhD student and Horner's sister-in-law, was pronounced dead at 9:25 a.m. after lifesaving efforts failed.
- Horner, an Oceanside School District elementary music teacher, faces a second-degree murder charge carrying a potential sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
- Prosecutors allege Horner strangled Castle from behind and sexually assaulted her; he pleaded not guilty and was held without bail.
- Nassau County police confirmed the incident is unrelated to the school district or its students; Horner has been placed on administrative leave.
What Happened at the North Massapequa Home on Monday Morning?
According to Nassau County police, officers arrived at the split-level residence on North Oak Street shortly after 8:45 a.m. on Monday, June 29, 2026. Detective Lieutenant Daniel Steller said Horner had placed the 911 call himself, requesting police and an ambulance for a female victim.
When officers arrived, they found Horner sitting outside the home. Inside the ground-floor apartment, police discovered Castle unresponsive on the floor. Officers and paramedics administered CPR and transported her to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 9:25 a.m., according to officials cited by News12 Long Island.
The property is a multi-family home divided into two apartments. Horner and his wife lived upstairs; Castle lived on the ground floor. Police said Horner's wife was not home at the time and was not involved in the incident. Investigators determined Castle died from strangulation based on the scene and her injuries.
Who Is Victoria Castle and What Was Her Connection to the Suspect?
Police initially identified the victim only as a 25-year-old woman and a PhD student at Stony Brook University. Court proceedings and subsequent reporting named her as Victoria Castle. She was Horner's sister-in-law — the sister of his wife.
Investigators said Horner and Castle had known each other for roughly a decade, dating back to when Horner first met his future wife in 2016. The two families shared the same North Massapequa address in separate units, a living arrangement that placed them in close daily proximity.
Castle's academic path represented years of dedicated study. For families weighing the long-term value of advanced education and career planning, resources in our Wealth Hacks & Passive Income section explore how education investments shape financial futures — a reminder of how abruptly such planning can be interrupted by tragedy.
At Horner's arraignment, ABC7 New York reported that Castle's relatives were visibly emotional in the courtroom, crying and embracing one another as charges were read.
What Are Prosecutors Alleging Joseph Horner Did?
During Tuesday's court appearance, prosecutors outlined a disturbing sequence of events, according to reporting from ABC7 New York and the Herald Community Newspapers.
Prosecutors allege Horner asked Castle to help him move a piano in his upstairs apartment. Once she was there, they say he attacked her from behind, placing her in a chokehold until she lost consciousness. After she went limp, prosecutors claim Horner sexually assaulted her, changed his clothes, and then called 911 while waiting outside for police to arrive.
Horner pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder. He was held without bail, according to ABC7. If convicted, Horner faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
How Did the Investigation Unfold in the Neighborhood?
The initial police response treated the scene as a family disturbance with one person injured. For most of Monday, detectives and crime-scene investigators remained at 285 North Oak Street, examining the driveway, gathering evidence, and taking notes as they worked to determine what had occurred.
The investigation effectively closed the surrounding neighborhood for roughly 12 hours, from about 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. North Oak Street and Magnolia Drive were among the roads blocked during the probe. Around 9 p.m., Nassau County police towed a vehicle parked in front of the home before clearing the scene entirely.
Police held a briefing at headquarters in Mineola on Tuesday, June 30, where officials announced Horner's arrest and murder charge. Nassau County police said Horner acted alone and had no prior arrests or documented interactions with law enforcement before this incident. Investigators initially declined to publicly disclose a motive or the full nature of the relationship between Horner and Castle beyond their family connection.
What Has the Oceanside School District Said?
Horner worked as an elementary music teacher in the Oceanside School District. The district confirmed in a statement that Nassau County officials indicated the homicide charges have no connection to the school district or its students.
Superintendent Phyllis Harrington said the news is "deeply disturbing" and announced that Horner was placed on administrative leave effective immediately, pending further review.
The district emphasized it had no additional information beyond what law enforcement provided. For parents and staff in Oceanside, the arrest of an educator on murder charges — even one allegedly committed off school grounds — has shaken a community that trusted him in classrooms.
What Happens Next in the Victoria Castle Case?
Horner was escorted in handcuffs from Nassau Police Headquarters in Mineola for arraignment in First District Court in Hempstead, according to the Herald Community Newspapers. The investigation remains ongoing as prosecutors continue reviewing evidence from the scene.
For the North Massapequa community, the reopening of local roads marked the end of an active crime scene but not the end of a case that will likely move through Nassau County courts for months or years. Castle's family, neighbors, and Stony Brook University colleagues now face the aftermath of a killing that police say began with a request to help move a piano inside a shared family home.