Woman arrested after allegedly decapitating Jesus statue at Long Island church, head later dumped in bushes

A woman without housing on Long Island is facing allegations that she decapitated a statue of Jesus Christ at a Catholic church. Deyonna Subert, 41, was arrested and charged with second-degree criminal mischief.

According to NBC, on May 15 at 11:15 a.m., Subert is accused of damaging the statue at St. Mary’s Church. Suffolk County police revealed that they were able to arrest Subert by the end of the day, and she was expected to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on May 21.

With the myriad of instances throughout the 2020s where religion has become a key aspect of political discourse, concern immediately arose over whether this was a deliberate targeting of Christianity. Debate on X was rife with users demanding to know the exact ethnic background of the accused.

The incident is currently being investigated by police to determine whether it qualifies as a hate crime. St. Mary’s pastor, Father Anthony Iaconis, shared that he eventually found the severed head of the statue in a nearby bush.

The statue had reportedly been on the church premises for a little over a decade. Currently, the decapitated statue is covered by a tarp, while some community members have added flowers at its base. The church released a statement on Facebook saying, “Your prayers, messages, and kindness have meant a great deal to our parish community.”

The church continued its request for donations to restore the statue while still asking the congregation to remember the alleged perpetrator in their prayers. The statement also read, “Please continue to pray for the person responsible for this act, and pray that the Sacred Heart of Jesus may bring healing, peace, and conversion to all hearts.”

One user commented, “This whole situation is so heartbreaking — that someone would even consider doing such a thing. But then to read that there are those trying to scam people?? Horrifying!!!! Here’s hoping they’re only trying to raise money to donate.” Another user’s comment reminded everyone just how long the church has been part of that community, writing, “So very sorry to hear this happened. We were married at St. Mary’s almost 58 years ago. Our prayers are with you.”

There is no denying that these are polarized times. In Dec. 2025, a story from Bondi Beach captured the world’s attention after a gunman opened fire on families gathered for Hanukkah celebrations. World leaders joined hands that day and vowed to do everything they could to curb the targeting of certain religions.

Subert’s attorney, however, has assured the press that any allegations suggesting her actions were a hate crime are overstated and that there is no evidence supporting those claims. The attorney still has not given any other explanation for why Subert would have decapitated the statue. All that is publicly known is that she is currently unhoused, though the lawyer has not commented on her state of mind, which could become very relevant as the case develops.

The lawyer said, “Right now, the only position we have taken is to deny the charges.”