MIDDLETOWN, Conn. — Danielle Fasciocco was a 29-year-old educator at Hartford’s Betances Magnet School who worked with children with special needs and cared for a deaf rescue dog. But three weeks after police were called to her house in the summer of 2018 on reports she was being stalked by her ex-boyfriend, Cornel Myers, she was found brutally murdered.
In November a jury convicted Myers of a “horrid butchering” in which Danielle was stabbed 19 times with multiple knives in her own kitchen “in the neck, stabbed her in the abdomen, slashed her throat,” according to the arrest warrant.
Friday, Judge Vernon Oliver sentenced him to 57 years in state prison for what he described as a case of, if I can’t have you, no one can. The case was delayed for years due to COVID court suspensions.
Myers and Danielle were neighbors at Middletown’s Hunter’s Crossing who began dating. In August 2018, Danielle reported to police she was being stalked by Myers after she tried to end the relationship. Exactly three weeks later, police went back to Danielle’s apartment complex after a dog walker heard screaming around 10:30 p.m. Unsure of the unit, police knocked but no one answered, so they left. Hours later, on Sept. 8, 2018, Myers called 911 saying he used his own key to enter Danielle’s unit around 3 a.m. and found her body slumped over the bed, her throat cut. But arriving officers honed in on “a dried red substance on both of Myers’ hands,” court documents state.
That was the beginning of the suspicion police had about Myers’ role in the murder. The suspicion led to an arrest and a two-week trial. Myers showed little emotion as Oliver sentenced him to 57 years in prison Friday, three years shy of the maximum of 60 years.
Prosecutors said Myers, now 39, attacked Danielle within minutes of her returning home from hanging out with educator friends at The Flying Monkey where she complained to friends about how many text messages Myers was sending her.
“In a city that needs teachers. (Danielle was) stolen for no reason because you would not take no for an answer,” Oliver said to Myers Friday in court.
Danielle’s father was overcome with emotion as he looked directly at Myers urging the judge to show no mercy.
“Cornel Myers a coward. He’s a coward. He’s a scum bag,” said Joe Fasciocco.
The family traveled from the Philadelphia area to pack a courtroom inside Middletown Superior Court.
Danielle’s aunt who didn’t want to speak on camera described the trauma they now live with.
“The world lost a beacon of a light when my niece’s life was cut short by the cruel act of another. As a teacher and a person, she led her life with purpose and compassion," said her aunt.
A spokesperson for Danielle’s father said he is now able to gain some relief from the verdict.
Samaia Hernandez is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at shernandez@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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