SerpApi.Org
A man who stabbed his wife to death in their New York City apartment left their infant son alone with her slain body before hanging himself in a nearby park, it has emerged.
Mary Kate Golding, 34, a set designer, was found dead with a knife lodged in her back at her family's property in Astoria on Tuesday.
Her husband, Joseph Azzaretto, 33, was found hanging from a tree in Astoria Park around six hours later.
Azzaretto left the couple's 11-month-old son Nolan with his wife's corpse, law enforcement sources told the New York Post.
The orphaned infant was found by Golding's friend after Azzaretto allegedly called her to confess to the killing, the insiders said.
Earlier Family Tragedy
A neighbor told the newspaper how the friend was 'screaming' after she discovered the body and then 'took the baby and walked out' of the basement apartment. Golding's parents later arrived and took Nolan into their care.
Police have not formally classified the deaths as a murder-[self-murder], but investigators believe Azzaretto killed Golding following an argument and then fled the home. Both were reportedly in the film and TV industry, with Golding's IMDB page revealing that she worked on The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and Goosebumps.
Golding's death is not the first violent tragedy to plague the family. Azzaretto's younger brother, Nicholas, shot and killed their father six years ago.
Nicholas, then 20, killed 58-year-old Frank Azzaretto in the kitchen of their family home in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, in February 2020 amid a domestic dispute.
Frank was fighting with his wife, Patricia, over a phone bill and when he became violent, the Pocono Record reported at the time.
He threw plants and pictures, and started pushing Patricia around, she testified.
Brother Later Pleaded Guilty
Nicholas, who heard the fight from the basement bedroom, came upstairs and found Frank being physical with his mother, the court heard.
Frank ordered Nicholas to go to the basement and closed the door on him. Nicholas then came back upstairs with a 12-gauge shotgun and shot Frank in the shoulder.
Pellets entered Frank's chest and he was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died.
The defense, during the court proceedings, said that there was a history of abuse in the Azzaretto family, with Frank having an 'apparent abuse streak in his personality.'
Nicholas, now 26, later pled guilty to third-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter, according to public records.
He appears to have been released from jail, as he is no longer listed as an inmate with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.
A Facebook account believed to belong to Nicholas was also updated with a photo of him cuddling a dog in October 2024.
Neighbors Describe Azzaretto's Behavior
Golding and Azzaretto moved to New York from Pennsylvania just two months ago, according to their neighbors.
Neighbors claimed Azzaretto had become known for losing his temper and arguing over parking spaces.
'He was an angry person,' one local told the Post. 'I decided to avoid him. I didn't even look at his text messages.'
Others branded him as 'crazy' and said he was 'mentally disturbed.'
The NYPD told the Daily Mail that officers responding to a 12.24am report of an assault found Golding with a stab wound to her back.
Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.
Footage obtained by the New York Daily News allegedly showed Azzaretto outside the building speaking on his cellphone before getting into a car and driving away.
He was reportedly identified as a person of interest before his body was discovered at around 6am.
Azzaretto was found near Astoria Park South and Shore Boulevard, about two miles from the family’s home.
Read more
