Police say father not a suspect is slaying of student in family’s apartment on NY campus

Police: Father not a suspect in NY student’s death

PURCHASE, N.Y. — A freshman at a private suburban college who grew up on campus was found slain in her family’s staff housing apartment, and police on Tuesday characterized the killing as domestic violence.

Harrison police Capt. Anthony Marraccini said the death of Manhattanville College student Marissa Pagli, 18, was linked to “family matters.”

He said her father, John Pagli, had found his daughter’s body and was not a suspect.

The captain, who is also acting police chief, would not comment on the status of Pagli’s mother. He said police were “not actively searching for a suspect.”

College spokesman Peter Giles said the girl’s mother was found unconscious at the scene and was hospitalized. Her condition was not made public and Marraccini would not say whether she had been questioned.

“This is a very disturbing and bizarre crime,” the captain said. “It’s very difficult for me to give any comment without threatening the integrity of the investigation.”

The cause of Marissa Pagli’s death was not made public. Marraccini said he was awaiting autopsy results.

Officials said the campus was safe and classes were being held as scheduled.

Pagli had grown up on campus as the daughter of an employee and enrolled last year at the school in Purchase, about 27 miles northeast of Manhattan.

“Many of our staff and faculty knew her long before she enrolled,” said college President Molly Easo Smith.

“The community is shocked, saddened,” she said. “Our community now is concentrating on remembering her and honoring her.” Reporters were not permitted to talk to students on campus.

The college is a liberal arts school of about 3,000 students. Full-time, full-price undergraduate students pay about $45,000 a year for tuition and room and board.

Several women from the Kennedy family attended Manhattanville, including Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, the mother of President John F. Kennedy, and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, his sister and founder of the Special Olympics. The college was a women’s school until 1969 and Catholic until 1971.

Giles said grief counseling was available to students on Tuesday. Smith said the college was welcoming suggestions for how to honor Pagli.

A tribute page was posted on Facebook.