By Innovation Times Crime & Justice Desk
New York — A shocking crime has gripped Staten Island, where a teenage suspect is accused of beheading his mother’s boyfriend during a violent domestic confrontation, then turning to his younger sister and asking a haunting question: “Do you want her to live?”
According to New York Police Department (NYPD) officials, the 16-year-old male was arrested late Wednesday after officers responded to a 911 call reporting a disturbance at a family home in the Eltingville neighborhood. When authorities arrived, they discovered the victim , a 38-year-old man identified as the mother’s boyfriend , decapitated in a bedroom.
Police sources say the scene was one of the most gruesome they have encountered in recent memory. The suspect allegedly carried out the attack with a large kitchen knife after an argument between the adults turned violent. Investigators believe the teenager intervened in defense of his mother but continued the assault far beyond self-defense.
Moments after the killing, the suspect reportedly confronted his sister, who witnessed part of the assault, and uttered the chilling line: “Do you want her to live?” The sister fled the home and alerted neighbors, who immediately called police.
Detectives are now piecing together the events that led up to the killing. Sources indicate that the mother and boyfriend had a history of domestic disputes, though it remains unclear whether there were prior police reports or restraining orders in place.
The suspect was taken into custody without resistance and has been charged with second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and endangering the welfare of a child. He is currently being held at a juvenile detention facility pending a court appearance in Richmond County Family Court.
Neighbors described the family as “quiet but troubled,” with one local resident telling Innovation Times that “you could hear shouting from that house some nights, but no one thought it would ever come to this.”
Authorities are conducting forensic analysis on the weapon and have requested psychological evaluation for the suspect, citing possible trauma and prolonged exposure to domestic violence.
Police officials emphasized that the case remains under active investigation and have asked the public to respect the privacy of the surviving family members.
The NYPD Homicide Division and the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office are collaborating on the case, which has reignited conversations about domestic violence, youth mental health, and the impact of trauma on adolescents.
