A Long Island woman, Deyonna Subert, age 41, was arrested last week for allegedly decapitating a statue of Jesus at St. Mary’s Church in Bay Shore, according to Suffolk County police. The incident occurred at approximately 11:15 p.m. on May 15, and Subert was taken into custody outside 221 West Main Street at 6:39 a.m. She has been charged with second-degree criminal mischief and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on May 21 [1].
The incident was investigated as a hate crimes incident by detectives, though Subert’s attorney stated there are no allegations that the incident constitutes a hate crime, and their position is to deny the charges [1]. Suffolk County police did not respond to a request for additional comment [1].
St. Mary’s pastor, Father Anthony Iaconis, reported finding the statue’s severed head in bushes on the church grounds. The statue, which had stood on the property for about 12 years, remains in place but is covered by a tarp, with community members placing flowers at its base [1].
On May 18, the church posted a statement on Facebook thanking parishioners and supporters for their concern and asked that donations be directed to St. Mary’s Parish for statue replacement efforts. The statement also called for prayers for the person responsible and for healing and peace within the community [1].
CONCLUSION
The arrest of Deyonna Subert for allegedly decapitating a Jesus statue at St. Mary’s Church has prompted community support and calls for healing. While the incident was investigated as a hate crime, Subert’s attorney denies such allegations, and the case is pending arraignment. The market impact is low, as the event is localized and does not involve publicly traded entities.