STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The lives of three Staten Island residents were cut short this year in violent acts: a devoted mother and grandmother trying to protect her daughter, a young man shot in broad daylight and a stepfather killed inside his own home.
Their deaths left families grieving and communities shaken, a reminder that behind city homicide statistics are real lives and stories worth remembering.
Jennira Roundtree, 43
Jennira Roundtree, 43, a mother and grandmother from West Brighton was fatally stabbed on Jan. 7, 2025.(Facebook)
On Tuesday, Jan. 7, 43-year-old Jennira Roundtree was fatally stabbed in the courtyard of the West Brighton Houses, where she lived. She was attempting to rescue her daughter from a violent confrontation, a law enforcement source said at the time. A mother of four and grandmother of one, Roundtree was described by friends and neighbors as fiercely protective.
In the days after the slaying, family, friends and neighbors shared messages of condolence online. “I was just talking to my cousin last week,” one mourner wrote. “I’m so heartbroken right now.” Another added, “Wow, my heart just stopped! Love you, sis. I’m truly speechless right now.”
“She only wanted to protect her baby,” Roundtree’s cousin, Nina Diggs, told the Daily News. “She went outside to get her child inside. When she got there, her daughter was surrounded by more than a dozen girls. She tried to pull her child away, and they all jumped her.”
A candlelight vigil was held to celebrate the life of Jennira Roundtree in West Brighton Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025.(Advance/SILive.com)
Jasmin Thompson, 25, of Richmond Terrace in New Brighton, turned herself in to police days later. She was charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, first-degree assault, and criminal possession of a weapon.
Thompson was arraigned and remanded without bail. She is currently considering a deal with prosecutors that would see her serve just over a decade in prison.
Jesse Pimental, 25
Jesse Pimental, 25, was working on getting his GED and planning to go to vocational school when he was shot and killed on March 28, 2025.(Courtesy of Elizabeth Rokicki)
On Friday, March 28, 25-year-old Jesse Pimental was shot and killed in broad daylight at Bay Street and Victory Boulevard in Tompkinsville. He was struck in the torso and died shortly after arriving at a local hospital.
The shooting occurred shortly after Pimental had visited his parole officer to complete paperwork ending his parole. “At 2:00, he was released and told, ‘You’re free to go,’ and at 2:30, his freedom was taken away,” said Elizabeth Rokicki, who helped raise Pimental with her sister, Carol.
A sports enthusiast, Pimental was known as the fastest runner among neighborhood children. He played baseball for South Shore Little League and excelled in football, winning a championship in the Staten Island Boys Football League.
Pimental attended Tottenville High School and later South Richmond High School in Pleasant Plains. In 2022, he was convicted on a weapons possession charge and sentenced to two years in prison. Upon his release, exactly one year before his death, he returned home with hopes for a better future.
“My life from here on out is going to be epic,” he told Rokicki. He was working toward obtaining his GED and planning to attend vocational school, with aspirations of a career in mechanics, plumbing, or elevator repair.
“He just wanted to be a different person, to be better for himself,” Rokicki said. “He talked about having kids, finding the right person, and settling down. Now, his life is cut short at 25 years old.”
Two suspects, Lydell Felton, 27, of Yonkers, and Elysha Pratts, 26, of South Avenue in Mariners Harbor, were arrested in connection with the homicide. Felton faces charges that include second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter, while Pratts was charged with hindering prosecution. They are scheduled to return to court next year.
Friends of Jesse Pimental gather in Bloomingdale park on Saturday, March 29, 2025.(Courtesy of Elizabeth Rokicki)
“Jesse does not deserve to be a statistic. He should not be a statistic. And I don’t wish this pain on anyone else’s family,” Rokicki said. “Maybe if we can grow up and put the guns down and live a peaceful life, I guarantee this world would be a better place and you wouldn’t have so much heartache and heartbreak and so much hurt in this world.”
Anthony Casalaspro, 45
Anthony Casalaspro, 45, a retired Department of Sanitation mechanic was found deceased in his West Brighton home on Oct. 6, 2025.(Facebook)
On Monday, Oct. 6, the body of 45-year-old Anthony Casalaspro, a retired Department of Sanitation mechanic, was discovered decapitated in the bathtub of his West Brighton home.
Casalaspro had been in a long-term relationship with Alicia Zayas and lived with her and her two children at his Cary Avenue residence. Zayas is the mother of 19-year-old Damien Hurstel, who is accused of killing Casalaspro.
“Anthony was helping me raise my kids. He was a great man,” Zayas told the New York Post days after his death. “He loved my kids; he loved Damien.”
Neighbors recalled seeing Casalaspro on the block. “We see him every now and then sitting on his balcony in a chair,” one said. “He kept mostly to himself.”
Island residents were shocked by the exceptionally violent nature of Casalaspro’s death, as a leaked photo of the crime scene was shared online and over text messages. Authorities allege Hurstel used multiple weapons and tools in the commission of the murder.
Police sirens illuminate the home at 380 Cary Ave. after Anthony Casalaspro was found dead in the bathtub on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025.(Advance/SILive.com | Scott Axelrod)
Hurstel, who pleaded not guilty by reason of “mental defect or disease,” is currently being held at Rikers Island. He is charged with second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and concealing a corpse. Authorities allege he attempted to dismember and dispose of Casalaspro’s body.
He is scheduled to return to court in January.