Staten Island man, 44, accused of murdering ‘acquaintance,’ who was found stabbed to death in bed: NYPD

Homicide

Eugene Reba, 72, was found dead inside his apartment at 1290 Richmond Ave. in Graniteville on Monday, Nov. 14, 2022. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)

UPDATE: STATEN ISLAND MAN ALLEGEDLY MADE STUNNING CONFESSION IN KILLING >>

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A 44-year-old man has been arrested in the fatal stabbing of Eugene Reba, 72, of Graniteville.

Seneca Morciglio of Ambassador Lane in Charleston stands accused in the fatal assault where Reba’s lifeless body was found inside his apartment at 1290 Richmond Ave. on Nov. 14 at about 10:40 a.m., according to a statement from the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information and a witness.

The suspect and the victim were acquaintances who were seen together by a witness, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

The suspect allegedly removed items from Reba’s apartment and lit those things on fire inside a shopping cart on Christopher Lane near Richmond Avenue shortly after the victim was assaulted, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

Morciglio, who was arrested on Saturday, has been charged by police with murder, assault, criminal possession of a weapon and tampering with physical evidence, according to the police statement.

The suspect, who stands about 5′11″ tall and weighs about 170 pounds, has been remanded to jail and currently is being held at Rikers Island. He is due back in Criminal Court on Friday, according to public records.

Attorney Richard Terrazas, who is representing Morciglio, declined to comment at this time.

The suspect has been arrested a total of five times in New York City. Until Saturday, the suspect’s most recent arrest was about 14 years ago for alleged fare evasion in 2008. He was accused in 2006 of aggravated harassment for making threats by phone in a domestic-violence case. Arrests in 2002 and 1998 were for alleged robberies, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

VICTIM FOUND STABBED IN HIS APARTMENT

Police had responded to a 911 call of an aided, unconscious male inside Reba’s apartment when they found the 72-year-old man unconscious and unresponsive in his bed. He had stab wounds in his torso, according to the police statement.

EMS responded to the location and pronounced Reba dead at the scene. The incident was deemed a homicide.

A home health aide showed up for her shift, but could not reach the victim, triggering a request for police, according to multiple sources.

Reba suffered stab wounds to the right side of his torso and was found wrapped in blankets in his bed, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

Reba, who had no criminal record in New York City, is believed to have lived alone. Although Reba received the services of a home health aide, he was not confined to his bed and came and went from his apartment, the source said.

His home was not ransacked and there were no signs of forced entry, the source said.

The most recent date that police initially were able to confirm he was alive was the evening of Nov. 10.

A GRIM DISCOVERY

Keith Kafader, a long-time resident and maintenance specialist at the apartment complex, said he was the person to find the deceased inside of the apartment.

“They were like, ‘No one has seen him for a couple of weeks. Can you please get into the apartment?’” Kafader recalled.

Kafader said he scaled up the balcony to Reba’s apartment, finding his way in through the patio door.

He described the victim’s bedroom as being “a little hot” with a strong odor.

A neighbor told reporters that the victim lived there for just a few months.

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