Thursday, October 1, 2026
A Seaford man, accused of fatally stabbing his parents inside their longtime neighborhood deli last month, has been indicted on charges including first-degree murder.
Vito D’Ambrosio, 30, was arraigned on Jan. 6 before Nassau County Supreme Court Judge Howard Sturim on grand jury indictment charges of Murder in the First Degree and two counts of Murder in the Second Degree. Angela Pulisciano, 62, and Antonio D’Ambrosio, 70, were killed Dec. 4 at A&A Italian Deli and Pizza on Hicksville Road. Prosecutors say their son entered the store around 9:11 a.m. and stabbed both with a 14-inch chef’s knife in front of customers.
“Angela and Antonio were simply helping customers at the deli they owned and operated for more than 30 years when they were viciously attacked and stabbed in broad daylight, allegedly by their own son,” Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly wrote in a press release announcing the indictment. Prosecutors said that the 30-year-old had been kicked out of his house and had been living in his car since his release from jail for another pending criminal matter.
“Angela and Antonio’s deli was a community staple; always filled with regulars whom the couple knew by name,” Donnelly added. “Their tragic loss has been heartbreaking to the many customers who frequented their store over the years. My office will hold their killer accountable for this horrific crime.”
Pulisciano was stabbed in the throat, which severed her trachea and carotid artery. She was found behind the store’s counter. D’Ambrosio was also stabbed in the carotid artery in the kitchen of the deli and was then allegedly dragged into the counter area, where police found him. Pulisciano was pronounced dead at the scene, while D’Ambrosio was transported to Nassau University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 10 a.m.
After the stabbing, Vito called 911 to report his alleged attack and waited near his car, parked in front of the store, for police to arrive. His hands and clothes were covered in his and his parents’ blood when he was taken into custody, police said. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison without parole. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is due back in court on Jan. 30.
The two Seaford residents owned and worked at the deli which served the community for over three decades. Dozens of customers, family, and friends gathered at St. James Roman Catholic Church in Seaford on Dec. 12 for the couple's funeral; they were buried at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale on the same day.
“Life is real, and so is death,” Rev. John Derasmo, pastor of St. James, told mourners during the funeral service. “The fact is, there are many times when things are clearly not okay, and this is one of them.”
Farmingdale resident Joseph Garcia spoke passionately about the couple's impact at the service. “Tony and Angelo were two of the hardest-working people I’ve ever met,” he said. “They worked 12 to 15 hours a day, seven days a week.” Derasmo similarly highlighted the couple's community contributions, including donating pizzas from their deli to the church's senior citizen group.
Garcia compared the food made in the deli to a home-cooked meal made by a loving grandparent, emphasizing that the couple treated anyone who came into their restaurant, regular or stranger, as a familiar face. “They treated us like family,” Garcia added. “The deli was so much more; it feels like nothing will ever be the same.”
The local community began crowdfunding for the family and raised over $80,000 since Dec. 4. “For more than 30 years, Tony and Angela devoted their lives to serving all of us,” read a Dec. 4 post on the GoFundMe page. “Straight from Italy, they built their deli with love, humility, and pure dedication. They never overcharged, never complained, and never treated anyone as just a customer. To them, we were all family.”
The post encouraged support for the couple’s children, saying, “Let’s show their children how deeply loved and appreciated Tony and Angela were, and still are.” On a post in the GoFundMe from Dec. 6, she shared an update from the family. “We want to begin by saying thank you from the deepest part of our hearts.” The message continued, “Angelina, Michael, Giovanni, and Anthony are overwhelmed by the love, generosity, and compassion this community has shown. They cannot believe how many people have stepped forward for them — people from near and far, customers from years ago, friends, neighbors, and strangers.”
