An 81-year-old man was tied to a chair, punched and burned with microwaved syrup during a robbery at a home north of Elkton, and he only got free after the man accused of holding him captive fell asleep. Two people now face charges in the case, which ended with a tense, hours-long standoff before a suspect walked out of the house and surrendered.
Victim Went to Meet a Woman, Deputies Say
According to WMAR 2 News, the elderly victim had gone to the home to meet 31-year-old Taylor Storm Falcone. Once inside, deputies say, he found Falcone and 28-year-old Austin Michael Maniscalco both present, and investigators allege the pair conspired to lure, detain and rob him. Maniscalco is accused of tying the victim to a chair, punching him and holding a knife to his throat, per the station's report.
Investigators say Maniscalco demanded the combination to a safe at the victim's home in Delaware, and when pressed for it, allegedly wrote the combination across the victim's forehead. Per the same account, Maniscalco then heated syrup in a microwave and poured it on the victim, causing burns, before making off with cash, jewelry and vehicle keys.
Victim Escaped While Suspect Slept
The victim managed to free himself and get away only after Maniscalco fell asleep, the station notes. Cecil County Sheriff's deputies were called to Chestnut Drive at around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday after reports of an injured man in a yard, according to the report. Separately, Cecil Daily reported that deputies and other first responders rushed to the same Chestnut Drive address at approximately 8:30 a.m. Wednesday after receiving an emergency dispatch about the alleged assault.
The victim was treated at a hospital and released, WMAR 2 News reports.
Five-Hour Standoff Ends in Surrender
What followed was a tense standoff that Cecil Daily says lasted approximately five hours in the Elkton-area neighborhood before ending peacefully. The outlet reported that the suspect walked out of the Chestnut Drive residence at approximately 1 p.m. Wednesday and surrendered to law enforcement. Cecil Daily's account did not name the suspect, noting that officials were withholding the name because investigators were still processing him after his arrest.
According to WMAR 2 News, the Cecil County Sheriff's Office Special Response Team arrested Maniscalco at the home. Falcone was arrested separately when she returned to the residence, the station reports.
Charges and Custody
Maniscalco faces charges including robbery, first-degree assault, false imprisonment and theft, per the station's reporting. Falcone faces several conspiracy charges. Both are being held without bond, WMAR 2 News reports.
Police had dealt with Maniscalco two prior times at the same location, though the full details of those earlier cases were not available. The investigation into this week's incident remains ongoing.
