A domestic dispute in Astoria, Queens, ended in a suspected murder-suicide, leaving an 11-month-old boy orphaned and a family with a history of violence at the center of a police investigation. Authorities found Mary Kate Golding, 34, a set designer who worked on "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," dead in her family's basement apartment early Tuesday. Law enforcement sources told the New York Post that her husband, Joseph Azzaretto, 33, allegedly stabbed her and left their infant son, Nolan, with her body before fleeing the scene.
Nolan was discovered by Golding's friend, who reportedly arrived after Azzaretto allegedly called to confess. The friend found the baby and Golding's body and alerted authorities. Golding's parents have since taken custody of Nolan.
Azzaretto was found hanging from a tree in Astoria Park approximately six hours after Golding's body was discovered. Police believe the couple, who reportedly moved to New York from Pennsylvania just two months prior, may have argued before the incident.
Neighbors described Azzaretto as having a temper and being prone to arguments, with one local calling him "an angry person" and another describing him as "mentally disturbed." Footages obtained by the New York Daily News appear to show Azzaretto speaking on his cellphone outside the building before driving away.
The family's history is marred by violence. Six years ago, Azzaretto's younger brother, Nicholas Azzaretto, shot and killed their father, Frank Azzaretto, 58, in Pennsylvania. Nicholas Azzaretto, now 26, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter for the 2020 incident.
During court proceedings for Nicholas Azzaretto, the defense cited a history of abuse within the family, stating Frank Azzaretto had an "apparent abuse streak in his personality." Public records indicate Nicholas Azzaretto is no longer listed as an inmate with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.
