Denis D. Cullen Jr., a 23-year-old individual, resides in Cold Spring Harbor, New York, an affluent suburb nestled in Suffolk County on Long Island. He shares a home with his parents, including his mother, Elizabeth Cullen.^[2]

On August 17, 2016, Denis Cullen is alleged to have murdered his 63-year-old mother, Elizabeth Cullen, following a dispute regarding his medication. The altercation culminated in him drowning her in the family’s backyard pool. Her body was discovered around 2 p.m. subsequent to a welfare check initiated by the police. Denis Cullen faces charges of second-degree murder in relation to the incident.^[0]

The presiding judge has mandated that Denis be detained on either a $5 million cash bail or an $8 million secured bond.

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According to authorities, Cullen Jr. informed detectives that he engaged in a heated argument with his mother earlier on the day of the incident concerning his medication. He admitted to forcefully taking his mother to the deep end of the pool and submerging her head underwater.

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“He said she struggled violently, and he expressed surprise at the intensity of her resistance given her stature. He waited until she ceased movement, then removed the body from the pool, placing it beside a shed and covering it with a tarp,” explained Deputy Police Chief of the Homicide Bureau, Robert Biancavilla.

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Following the alleged homicide, Cullen drove into the city, where he confessed to his sister. He was apprehended upon returning to the residence.

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