Anthony Heaton, of Wantagh, charged in stabbing death of his 82-year-old wife

A 74-year-old Wantagh man told police the stress of serving as his ailing wife's caregiver had overwhelmed him before he allegedly stabbed her more than 40 times and considered killing himself, authorities said Sunday.

Anthony Heaton, 74, was charged with second-degree murder in the Saturday killing of his wife of more than 40 years, Mary Heaton, 82, inside their home on Oakland Avenue, said Det. Sgt. Stephen Fitzpatrick, commanding officer of the Nassau County Homicide Squad.

“Her declining health got to him and he couldn't take it,” Fitzpatrick said.

Heaton left the house in his car with the intention of committing suicide after stabbing his wife “multiple times” and strangling her, according to Fitzpatrick, but ultimately returned home. Heaton greeted police at the door and confessed to the killing, Fitzpatrick said.

Officers were dispatched to the house just before noon Saturday after a police medic responded to a call to attend to one of the couple's three adult children, police said. The son was on a 40-mile bike ride with friends when his father called to tell him what had happened, causing the grieving son to require medical attention, Fitzpatrick said.

“It was very surreal [for the responding officer],” Fitzpatrick said. “He's walking in and the gentleman announced what he did.”

Fitzpatrick said Heaton remained calm and sat on the couch as the officer checked on his wife, who was already deceased.

Fitzpatrick said the couple had no prior history of domestic disturbances.

Heaton told police his wife's health had deteriorated and she was confined to the first floor of the home, where the couple lived alone. Anthony Heaton previously had heart surgery and has been dealing with his own health issues, Fitzpatrick said. 

Assistant Nassau County District Attorney Tracy Keeton told District Court Judge Tricia Ferrell that Heaton stabbed his wife more than 40 times with a kitchen knife. Keeton called his actions “vicious and callous.”

“This defendant didn't call 911 after he stabbed his wife,” Keeton said during the Sunday morning arraignment. “He didn't seek help after he stabbed his wife. He left her for dead.”

Heaton's court-appointed defense attorney, Nicholas Massimo, of Mineola, said “much more will come to light” than Keeton disclosed in court, referring to his client's role as a caregiver in the home.

“He basically dedicated his life to taking care of his wife,” Massimo said, adding that until this weekend, Heaton had “never been anything but a loving husband to his wife.”

Heaton is a retired building maintenance manager who worked for Cushman Wakefield and MetLife during a 42-year-career, Massimo said. The couple lived in the Wantagh home for 41 years, he said,

Ferrell remanded Heaton to the Nassau County jail and placed him on suicide watch at the defense's request.

“I believe there might be some kind of temporary insanity involved,” said Massimo, who entered a plea of not guilty on Heaton's behalf. 

Fitzpatrick said Heaton did not have any prior known mental health issues.

Near the couple's Wantagh home Sunday, neighbors described an unusual scene the day before in the neighborhood off Sunrise Highway: roads closed off, police vehicles lining the street near the two-story residence.

“It was really weird,” Nora Kleczka said as she walked her dog on the corner of Oakland and Roxbury avenues. “We've had little things over the years. Nothing like this.”

Oakland Avenue neighbor Tony Rivera said he recently had a brief exchange with Heaton.

“He was out doing gardening in the yard,” Rivera said. “I said hi. Didn't seem like anything out of the ordinary.”

Massimo said after speaking with his client and the couple's son, there did not seem to be problems in the home outside of the “pressure” Heaton was feeling from his wife's health and his own.

“It's a really tragic situation,” the attorney said. “It does not appear there were any issues between them until this alleged incident.”

With Steve Langford

By Grant Parpan

grant.parpan@newsday.com@GrantParpan

Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.