New York High School Football Star Stabbed to Death on Graduation Day

June 29, 2011 -- A star running back from a New York City high school was stabbed to death on his graduation day when his father got into a fight with parking lot workers over missing property, police said.

Isayah Muller, 19, from East Harlem, Manhattan, died Tuesday evening at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx.

His father, Andre Muller, 40, has been charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the brawl that resulted in his son's death, but is not charged with stabbing his son. Police are still interviewing the parking lot workers.

The tragedy occurred after Andre Muller, Isayah, his mother Rosa and the teen's girlfriend left the Truman High School graduation cemony at Lehman College in the Bronx and were heading to a celebration dinner at City Island, a fishing enclave in the north Bronx.

They had picked up their car at M.T. Jerome Town Corp Parking Lot on Jerome Avenue about 4 p.m. and were en route to the dinner when Andre Muller noticed property missing from his car, according to a New York Police Department statement. New York newspapers reported the missing items were designer colognes that were meant to be gifts for Isayah.

"Andre Muller immediately turned the vehicle around and drove back to the lot, where an argument and fight ensued," the NYPD said. During the melee, Isayah was stabbed, police said.

Cops responding to a 911 call came to the scene, but the Mullers were gone. A frantic Andre Muller had driven his wounded son to a clinic 10 blocks away, police said.

Clinic staff called an ambulance, but Isayah died at 5:56 p.m.

Family and friends of Isayah, who was planning to attend Nassau County Community College, were reeling at the shocking news.

"I can't stop crying," said his sobbing great-grandmother, Rosalina Seda. She said Isayah had just celebrated his 19th birthday. She called him "remarkable," but was too upset to say more.

On an RIP page on Facebook, many friends posted tributes. "You were gonna go far homie… R.I.P Superstar!" wrote one friend, Matteo Vega.

Isayah had led his high school team, the Truman Mustangs, to a city championship last fall, scoring two touchdowns. "It's my last game as a high school player and I didn't want to take a step off the field," Muller told the Daily News at the time. "I'm still not tired. I can play this whole game again."