Maniac who slaughtered beloved FDNY paramedic found guilty of murder in the brutal, random NYC attack

The maniac accused of ruthlessly stabbing beloved FDNY EMS Lt. Alison Russo was recovered blameworthy of her execution Monday — following a shocking trial wherever her relatives and colleagues were forced to relive nan horrific act.

Jurors successful Queens Supreme Court deliberated for little than an hr earlier convicting 37-year-old Peter Zisopoulos of second-degree execution and limb possession for randomly attacking Russo, 61, during her luncheon break successful September 2022.

Russo’s relatives celebrated nan swift verdict, which came aft an astir week-long proceedings wherever Zisopoulos took nan guidelines and chillingly showed virtually nary emotion arsenic prosecutors played gruesome footage of nan slaying.

“This brings closure for my family,” Craig Fuoco, Russo’s brother, said aft nan jury’s determination was delivered.

“Nothing tin erase nan pain. Alison’s missed each day,” Fuoco said, while flanked by his precocious sister’s FDNY colleagues and her daughter, Danielle Russo.

“We’re fresh to commencement treatment and support Alison’s representation alive,” he said. “[I’m] happy that I deliberation justness was done. Happy to commencement to move forward. But Alison will proceed to beryllium missed. It’s continuing to beryllium difficult to move on, but we’ll find a way.”

Zisopoulos, of Astoria, will look 25-years-to-life successful situation astatine his sentencing June 30.

Video played astatine proceedings showed nan unhinged attacker knocking complete nan 9/11 first-responder and knifing her 20 times just a half-block from her stationhouse.

Prosecutors said Zisopoulos attacked Russo successful wide daylight connected Sept. 29, 2022 while she was connected work successful her uniform.

He walked retired of his flat building and rushed astatine Russo, shoving her to nan pavement and getting connected apical of her — earlier stabbing her many times pinch a serrated room weapon successful nan thorax and abdomen, including her lungs, liver and heart.

A bystander connected a scooter tried to intervene, but was chased distant by a still-armed Zisopoulos, according to proceedings evidence.

The knife-wielding attacker past circled backmost — stepping astir Russo arsenic she laic bleeding retired connected nan sidewalk — and returned to nan flat he shared pinch his mother, prosecutors said.

Another bystander spotted Zisopoulos and ran to a adjacent EMS position for help.

Police arrested Zisopoulos aft a little standoff while he was locked successful his apartment.

The serrated weapon was recovered by cops successful Zisopoulos’ beforehand pants pocket, and tested affirmative for some his and Russo’s DNA, prosecutors said.

During his stint connected nan witnesser guidelines Friday, Zisopoulos many times provided inconsistent responses astir nan attack.

For instance, he presented 3 different alibis for what he was doing erstwhile Russo was killed, including telling nan New York Post during a jailhouse question and reply successful 2023 that he had been engaged watching Star Wars astatine nan time.

“Alison Russo was a long-time nationalist servant who cared profoundly for nan group of New York. Our metropolis is still successful mourning for a female who saved countless lives arsenic a personnel of nan FDNY EMS and arsenic a unpaid pinch her section ambulance institution connected Long Island,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said successful a statement.

“I dream this condemnation brings Alison’s family, friends and coworkers solace arsenic we proceed to grieve her loss.”

FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker said that while nan verdict will not bring Russo back, “I believe her family and those who loved her get immoderate consciousness of closure from this.”

“Russo was a leader and continues to beryllium a root of inspiration and spot to her colleagues and to this Department,” Tucker said successful a statement.