Dr. Anthony Nicassio was an internal medicine specialist and primary care physician for the greater-Pittsburgh area. As a medical practitioner for the past 41 years, Dr. Nicassio has been rated as one of the best in the area. As recently as March 31, 2017, one patient wrote on the review website Find a Doctor: “Dr. Nicassio is not allowed to ever retire. I don’t know what I would do!” Other reviews echoed similar sentiments from patients describing Dr. Nicassio as “kind,” “thorough,” and “knowledgeable.” Now, the greater-Pittsburgh area is feeling the loss of one of their own after a bizarre domestic incident resulted in the beloved doctor losing his life.
Allegheny County Police were called to the home of Dr. Nicassio after receiving a 911 call from his wife. At the scene, the doctor was found with a knife sticking out of his chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Taken into custody for the suspected stabbing of Dr. Nicassio was the head coach and personal trainer of the Allegheny Force Football Club, Christina Nicassio. Dr. Nicassio’s wife explained that their daughter had recently gone through a bad breakup a week prior to the stabbing. The couple had been in the process of urging their daughter to seek help after she threatened to harm herself with a knife. When the doctor attempted to take the knife away, Christina stabbed her father in the chest.
During police interrogation, Christina explained that she had been “played by Hollywood.” When pressed further on her meaning behind the statement, police learned that Christina had been talking about the 2001 movie, “The Mummy Returns.” According to Christina, she believed that if she couldn’t love someone then she would have to stab her father in the chest.
She went on to say that she believed the world was ending and when her parents encouraged her to get into their car so they could take her to a hospital, she says she didn’t want to go. That’s when things turned deadly. She grabbed a knife from the kitchen counter. When she didn’t want to give the knife up, she stabbed her father twice in the chest.
UPMC, Dr. Nicassio’s resident hospital, released the following statement to Triblive:
“We are deeply saddened by the death of Dr. Nicassio, who was a dedicated and skilled physician and who devoted his life to compassionate care of his patients.”
Police are continuing to investigate the case. Christina Nicassio’s first hearing is scheduled for May 17, 2017.