The tight-knit community of A & A Italian Deli & Pizza is in shock and mourning after the brutal death of its longtime owners, identified as Anthony Ciampa and his wife Angela Ciampa, who were fatally stabbed in what authorities describe as a double homicide that unfolded Thursday morning.
According to the initial police report, the incident occurred around 9:00 a.m. at the deli on Hicksville Road near Boundary Avenue in Bethpage. Officers responded swiftly to a 911 call and discovered the couple with fatal stab wounds.
The community many of whom had known the Ciampas for decades described the deli as more than a business: a place where families gathered, children got sandwiches after school, and neighbors caught up over coffee.
Eyewitnesses recounted the chilling moment earlier that morning when a man reportedly walked out of the deli and calmly declared, “I stabbed my parents.”
Immediately, the suspect was detained by police and taken into custody.
For many locals, the couple represented the heart and soul of the little Italian deli: warm, friendly, hardworking, and always ready with a smile. One longtime customer told reporters that the Ciampas had served their community faithfully for more than 30 years, building relationships with generations of customers.
Another visitor, emotional and shaken, said the couple “were absolutely wonderful everyone loved going in there. The food was great.”
The heartbreak is deep. Neighbors, regular customers, and passing motorists held their heads in disbelief. Many recalled the friendly greetings they always got at the deli’s counter, the familiar smells of fresh bread and coffee, and the lively yet comforting atmosphere. As one resident put it, “It’s very sad … such a shame.”
The tragedy has raised painful questions about motive. According to community members and echoed in some local forums the suspect was the couple’s adult son.
Some described him as having shown troubling behavior in recent times. “This is really a shame,” wrote one commenter on social media forums discussing the case. “Apparently the kid killed his parents/owners.”
Others lamented that a family-run institution so woven into the neighborhood’s daily life and rituals could be torn apart by such violence.
As of now, the authorities are conducting a full homicide investigation. Members of the community are calling for support, remembrance, and compassion for the loss of the Ciampa family.
Many say they plan to honor the memory of Anthony and Angela by keeping the spirit of kindness, generosity, and warmth that the deli represented alive in the neighborhood.
To the many people who knew them customers, friends, neighbors Anthony and Angela will be remembered not only as owners of a deli or business operators, but as beloved community figures whose loss is deeply felt.
Their memory will live on in every sandwich, every cup of coffee, and every friendly greeting that once defined the cozy atmosphere of A & A Italian Deli & Pizza.
