On a cool autumn evening in Port Jefferson Station, New York, what began as a night out for Frank R. Panebianco and his girlfriend ended in a sudden and violent tragedy. On November 2, 2014, the 28-year-old male was fatally shot in the parking lot of the L.I. Pour House Bar & Grill. Frank, an employee at TD Bank and the eldest of four brothers, had been dating Jessica Kasten for a few months.
That Sunday night, as Frank and Jessica were leaving the restaurant with friends, they were confronted by Jessica's ex-boyfriend, Michael Skiadas. An argument broke out, escalating quickly when the 37-year-old Skiadas retrieved a shotgun from his nearby Jeep. A friend, Jack Schneider, attempted to intervene and de-escalate the situation but was struck in the head with the weapon by Skiadas.
As Frank and Jessica tried to flee in their car, Skiadas ran towards them and fired two shots, striking Frank in the torso. After shooting Frank, Skiadas returned to his own vehicle and took his own life. Police arrived to find Skiadas deceased at the scene. Frank Panebianco was rushed to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Jack Schneider was also transported to the hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Jessica Kasten was not physically harmed in the incident.
The investigation that followed confirmed the events as a murder-suicide, with Michael Skiadas identified as the sole suspect in the death of Frank Panebianco. As Skiadas was deceased, no arrests were made. Frank was remembered by his family as a 'perfect son' and a 'great kid' who was non-confrontational and loved to fish.
