Joe Casello succumbs to fatal heart attack while serving in Florida House
Joe Casello (D-Boynton Beach) passed away on July 18, 2025, at age 73 due to a heart attack, according to the Florida House Democratic Caucus. A firefighter that turned to a legislator, he was surrounded by family at the time of his death.
Joe Casello served as a city commissioner in Boynton Beach from 2013 to 2018 before being elected to the Florida House in 2018. He had recently announced plans to run for Palm Beach County Commission in 2026.
Before his political career, Casello was a firefighter in Worcester, Massachusetts, for over 30-years and also served in the U.S. Air Force installing radio sites. He later founded an electrical services business and worked as an arson investigator with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
House leaders praised Joe Casello as a “gentle giant” and dedicated public servant. Fentrice Driskell said colleagues “stopped and listened when he spoke,” while Nikki Fried called him “the kind of public servant every community hopes for.”
Under Florida law, Gov. DeSantis must call a special election to fill the vacant seat.
