A Long Island grandmother is now left mourning the loss of her fiance, 61-year-old Joseph Falvo, after her 18-year-old grandson Noel Bermudez-Chin unleashed a fierce attack on him. The young adult boy threw boiling hot water on him while he was asleep before stabbing him multiple times leading to his eventual death. The suspect confessed to stabbing Falvo in the back approximately 5-6 times and at least once in the stomach.
The assault happened around 4 AM on the early morning of March 30, 2026 as Bermudez-Chin grabbed a large knife, the primary weapon involved in the murder of his grandmother’s soon-to-be husband, and committed the brutal act on the defenseless man.
It is unknown what Bermudez-Chin’s motivation behind the murder was, but it is reported that the teen suffered from Schizophrenia. According to his older brother, Anthony Ortiz, Bermudez-Chin has been dealing with the mental illness for years and has seemed to have a difficult time navigating through its effects ever since he was diagnosed. His brother also confirmed that he was not actively taking any medications, a factor that could have potentially played a huge role in the murderer’s gruesome act.
Bermudez-Chin was arrested not too far from the mobile home where the tragic incident occurred. He was charged with second-degree murder as he awaits trial. The 18-year-old showed little-to-no remorse as he told police officers that “it is what it is”, according to the New York Post. His lawyer refused to comment any further on the situation at this current time.
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder where individuals often experience hallucinations, delusions, mood swings, disorganized cognitive functioning, etc. The illness, for some, creates a false image of reality, establishing a cognitive dissonance that causes victims to lose touch with the real world around them. The symptoms are more extreme for some individuals, as some report that they hear voices in their head. These voices can sometimes encourage or push individuals to do things that they may not actually want to do.
In the tragic murder of Joseph Falvo, it is uncertain whether or not Bermudez-Chin suffered a severe Schizophrenic episode, or whether the illness inspired him to commit the brutal act. As the situation progresses, it will be interesting to see what was going through the suspect’s head before the murder took place, and the findings may hopefully provide insight on how to help individuals who experience these disorders to stop incidents like these from happening in the future.
