Three members of the Castiglia family — 53-year-old math teacher Deborah Castiglia and her parents, 84-year-old Judith and 90-year-old Fred — were found dead in their Northampton Township home after a welfare check on Jan. 26. Their 55-year-old brother, Kevin Castiglia, allegedly barricaded himself inside the residence armed with knives and was arrested after a roughly five-hour standoff. According to an affidavit, Kevin later told hospital staff and police, "I hurt someone," "I killed my parents in their sleep," and "I killed my sister when she found them." He faces multiple charges and is being held without bail pending a Feb. 12 court appearance.
Pennsylvania Math Teacher and Her Elderly Parents Found Dead; Brother Charged After Alleged Knife Attack
Kevin CastigliaBucks County Prison
A Pennsylvania family suffered a tragic loss when three members were found dead inside their Northampton Township home after police responded to a welfare check on Jan. 26. Authorities say the suspected offender, their 55-year-old son and brother, barricaded himself inside the house armed with knives before being taken into custody following a multi-hour standoff.
What Happened
Northampton Township police officers went to a residence on Heather Road in the afternoon of Monday, Jan. 26, after a concerned caller requested a welfare check. Officers encountered an adult male, later identified as Kevin Castiglia, 55, who was allegedly armed with knives and behaving incoherently, according to a law enforcement affidavit.
Standoff and Arrest
Police say officers attempted to persuade Kevin to come out, but he allegedly barricaded himself inside the home. After a standoff that lasted about five hours, tactical personnel took him into custody at roughly 8 p.m. During initial contact, officers reportedly deployed tasers; the affidavit says Kevin removed the taser probes from his body, then closed and locked the door.
Victims Identified
When investigators searched the house they discovered three deceased people. The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office identified the victims as Deborah Castiglia, 53Judith Castiglia, 84, and Fred Castiglia, 90, who lived at the Heather Road address.
How The Call Began
The sequence of events unfolded earlier when Deborah’s boyfriend visited the home after being unable to reach her for several days. According to the affidavit obtained by local news outlets, Kevin answered the door wearing a robe and told the boyfriend Deborah had "probably went on vacation." Moments later, the boyfriend says Kevin reopened the door holding what he described as a "psycho-type" chef's knife and allegedly warned him, "Don't ever come here again, or I will kill you." The boyfriend left and called 911.
Alleged Admissions
After Kevin was taken to a local hospital, the affidavit states he told a doctor, "I hurt someone." He later allegedly told hospital staff, "I killed my parents in their sleep," and, "I killed my sister when she found them." Investigators say he made similar admissions at police headquarters. All alleged statements are reported in the affidavit and have not been proven in court.
Charges And Next Steps
Kevin Castiglia has been charged with multiple offenses, including criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse, possession of an instrument of crime, and terroristic threats, among other counts listed in the criminal docket. He is being held without bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 12. It was not immediately clear whether he had retained an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
Community Impact
Deborah Castiglia had worked for many years as a high-school math teacher in the Centennial School District. Local officials say the investigation is ongoing as authorities continue to confirm the full circumstances surrounding the deaths and any additional details tied to the case.
Note: All allegations reported here are from official affidavits and the criminal docket. Charges are accusations; the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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