The following is an extended version of the story that appears in our latest print edition.

The viewing and wake for Pamela Alcántara Rubiera, a beloved daughter, sister, friend, faith leader, Dominicana, New Yorker, Bronxite and, tragically, an alleged fatal victim of domestic violence, was celebrated with love on Monday, March 17, at the New Life Outreach International Church at 2757 Morris Avenue in Kingsbridge Heights.

 

As around 200-300 family, friends, fellow clergy leaders, neighbors and politicians gathered to pay their respects and prepare for the repatriation of Alcántara Rubiera’s remains to her homeland in the Dominican Republic, a community was left asking an all-too-familiar question: what more can be done to help prevent the epidemic of domestic violence in the borough that has the highest rates in New York City (according to a 2023 mayoral report on gender-based violence)?

 

As reported, the body of 26-year-old Alcántara Rubiera of 2200 Morris Avenue in Fordham Heights was found inside a red suitcase on a highway near Yonkers on Thursday, March 6, after she was reported missing days earlier. Her partner, Junior Perez Diaz, 46, with whom she had shared her apartment, has since been arrested and charged in connection with her death, the cause of which was homicidal asphyxiation, according to evidence presented in court by the Bronx District Attorney’s office on Saturday, March 8.

 

Among the politicians present at Alcántara Rubiera’s funeral service were Dominican Consul General Jesús Vásquez Martínez and Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-14). Alina Dowe, Bronx borough director for the mayor’s community affairs unit, was also seen in attendance.

 

Pastor and the former councilman for District 14, Fernando Cabrera, who, as reported, is once again running for his old city council seat, lead the funeral service, along with other church leaders. Meanwhile, the Latin American Clergy Association, of which Alcántara Rubiera was a member, provided a guard of honor. Some of its members, seen in uniform, were in tears at the service and consoling each other. Another large, Hispanic clergy organization was also in attendance.

 

Outside the church, we asked Cabrera how the victim’s family was coping. “The family’s in distress,” he said. “The mom is still in shock. Right now, to come out here is too much. We did ask her, but it was just too much. But you know, I’ve been here with her since she arrived [at the church for the viewing ceremony]. She took ten minutes to be alone with her daughter by herself when the casket arrived, and she’s a woman of faith.” Both the victim’s parents live in the Dominican Republic.

 

The former councilman continued, “I have to tell you she gave us a speech where her anchor and her hope is in her faith, and her hope, the afterlife for her daughter. She lost two daughters in a span of eight months. She’s grieving; she’s in mourning.” Cabrera explained that the grieving mother’s other daughter had died of dengue, a disease similar but different from malaria, caused by a virus spread through mosquito bites.

The victim’s parents, Sunilda Rubiera and Manuel Antonio Alcántara, her aunt, and other family members were seated in front of her semi-open, white casket in which she was laid out, dressed in a blue, delicate, chiffon-style dress, and appearing peaceful. A wreath adorned with flowers and blue ribbons was seen at the foot of the casket along with the words, “Mami will always love you” in Spanish.

 

Members of Las Hermanas de Apoyo (The Support Sisters), a group which exists to support women affected by domestic violence, were also in attendance at the wake. At one point, they appeared to form a type of unofficial guard of honor around the church entrance. During the service, which saw moving musical accompaniment throughout, it was announced that another new organization is to be launched in memory of the young Dominican, also in efforts to stop domestic violence. It will have the Spanish acronym “P.A.R.A.,” meaning “S.T.O.P.” in English, and will incorporate the first letter of the victim’s first name (Pamela).

 

Before the victim’s body was discovered, in a video of an earlier press conference held with friends and family members on March 5, organized with DM Noticias in front of Alcántara Rubiera’s building, she had been described as a young, Christian, Dominican woman. Family and friends, holding missing person fliers with a photo of Alcántara Rubiera, were first heard saying in unison and in Spanish, “We are asking for the community’s support!”

 

Her mother had also said at the time, “I don’t know if it was because he was desperate to see that she [Alcántara Rubiera] was actually moving out. The red suitcase is not there. It’s a big red suitcase. So, I start thinking my God, yes, if he did something to her… my God!”

 

As reported, during Perez Diaz’s arraignment at Bronx Criminal Court on March 8, prosecutors spoke of how Alcántara Rubiera had indeed planned to leave her abuser, a step which domestic violence experts say frequently triggers a violent reaction from abusers. The court also heard that Perez Diaz had been “secretly recording” the victim and that Alcántara Rubiera’s body had been found with bruising to the neck, arm, and head.

 

The prosecution alleged Perez Diaz was the only person to enter and exit the couple’s apartment after her last sighting, alive. Prosecutors outlined how neighbors tried to contact her after her disappearance but couldn’t get inside her apartment. The prosecution also alleged Perez Diaz “lied” to neighbors about her disappearance and allegedly gave false information about his girlfriend’s whereabouts, as well as those of the red suitcase.

 

As reported, Perez Diaz was charged March 7 with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, and second-degree kidnapping. He is presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law. Read more about his initial court appearance here. [More to follow.]

 

Of the pain the victim’s mother was experiencing, Cabrera went on to say, “You can imagine the trauma that she’s going through right now, the loss; it’s complicated.” He explained that it was not only the grief of losing her daughter, but losing her in such a traumatic way that was extra hard. “In the counseling world, we call it complicated grieving because it’s not the usual way,” he said.

 

He continued, “But she has a lot of support here. We had even elected officials that came out here today for support, and the clergy have been amazing in really providing her support. Her mom wanted this service not to be in a funeral home. She wanted it to be in church and that’s what we had here.” Alcántara Rubiera’s own church, part of the Liberty Fellowship Deliverance Ministries, is located on White Plains Road in Wakefield.

 

“We are both part of the same Chaplain association, the Latin American Chaplain Association,” Cabrera said. “I gave a speech when she graduated ironically but, you know, when it comes to church, we have different local churches but we’re in the same family, and so in the past, we’re always just talking to the pastor of her church.”

 

Asked if Perez Diaz’s arrest had brought some comfort to the family, the former councilman said it had, and mentioned that the news was announced as they had gathered together on the previous Friday night, March 7, outside her home. “So yes, it brought a level of comfort, but there’s no closure yet, because, of course, we have to go through the process of the wheels of justice, and that’s what she wants. That’s one thing that she’s very adamant about, that there won’t be unnecessary delays.”

Generally, if a defendant pleads guilty, it speeds up the legal process and can save the victim’s family some of the trauma of revisiting the violent death of a loved one in a courtroom setting. A not guilty plea prolongs the legal process and generally has the opposite affect on a victim’s family.

 

Asked if the Alcántara Rubiera’s mother had had doubts about her daughter’s partner prior to her body being discovered, Cabrera said, “I don’t know.” Given his decision to run for elected office once again, we asked Cabrera what more, in his opinion, could the City and State do to address and stop domestic violence. “I think that we need to be more in the media,” he said. “I think that the City could spend more funding, and being able to get the message out on social media or whether it’s regular media, I think it’s necessary, especially for women.”

 

He continued, “They’re finding themselves in a situation that there’s no way out, and usually there’s a cycle that comes with domestic violence, and there is a form of control, because at the end of the day, it’s a form of control, but they need to see hope, and they need to feel safe, and that this could be done in an expedited way. We have that system in place but they need to believe it.”

 

Asked what he would say to immigrant victims of domestic violence who are potentially feeling anxious about their legal status and who may be afraid to ask for help out of fear of deportation, Cabrera said, “I would say a lot of immigrants are people of faith. Talk to your pastor; he will advocate. Talk to the clergy; they will make that call with you. Talk to your social services; they’re obligated. We’re mandated reporters to be able to contact the police station, and to get the help that is necessary.”

 

He continued, “We’re very fortunate in New York City. Having worked in the City and working in the Council, I can tell you the services are there, and the level of protection is there, and it works. We know that the system works, but it takes a bit of courage.”

 

He continued, “Sometimes, for people who are in that situation that they feel they have control, that they could nurture the perpetrator and to get them out of being violent [but] the fact is, that’s a myth; it doesn’t work. That’s not the way to really get that person to get help. We need law enforcement to come in and for people who are committing this type of behavior, we have help for them as well. So, sometimes that’s the catalyst and the crisis that induces that to take place.”

 

According to the NYPD, the department responds to around 230,000 domestic violence incidents annually, or nearly 600 calls a day. “Domestic violence prevention police officers face unpredictable, potentially volatile situations and therefore, are highly trained to help ensure victims’ safety as well as their own,” they said.

 

On the evening of Jan. 21, 2022, NYPD Police Officers Wilbert Mora, Jason Rivera, and Sumit Sulan, assigned to Harlem, were dispatched via a 911 call for a domestic dispute between the caller and her 47-year-old son. Upon arrival, Mora and Rivera were shot multiple times by a perpetrator and later died, before the perpetrator was subsequently shot by Sulan. The radio dispatcher had advised the responding officers that the caller indicated her son was threatening her with physical violence, though no indication was given about the presence of weapons at the scene. All three were later promoted to detective (two posthumously).

 

On the other hand, as reported on more than one occasion, tragically, some families affected by domestic violence outbursts, which are possibly triggered by mental health episodes, have also been left bereaved when police are called and the DV perpetrator ends up getting shot to save the lives of other family members.

 

Police said more than 400 NYPD domestic violence prevention officers, investigators, and supervisors assist victims of domestic violence citywide on an ongoing basis. They said domestic violence officers visit the homes of victims, make referrals to court, provide counseling services and shelter alternatives, facilitate obtaining orders of protection, and help in personal safety planning.

 

They said the department is committed to serving all communities in the City of New York, especially those vulnerable to victimization, and added that victims of domestic violence, stalking, and other related crimes who have entered the United States on a temporary basis may be eligible for U nonimmigrant status visas.

 

The NYPD said their Domestic Violence Unit also performs domestic violence awareness outreach. Department officials said each local precinct and public service area has a domestic violence office and the NYPD has prepared three separate brochures in different languages, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Chinese, Russian, and Arabic, about domestic violence and the strategies that can help combat or prevent it. Residents should contact their local precinct for more information, including help relating to stalking. [Details for local precincts can be found at the end of this story.]

 

As reported, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson launched the 31 Days of Action Against DV awareness campaign in October 2023 in efforts to highlight the fact that the above-referenced mayoral report found that the North Bronx had the highest rates of domestic violence in New York City. The previous year, during Domestic Violence Awareness Month (held in October), she had said in part, “We stand with our women and young girls in this fight to end domestic and gender-based violence. Our girls deserve a future free of fear and free of violence.”

 

As also reported, the Office of the Bronx District Attorney’s Office holds a 5K Run each year to help bring more awareness to the issue of, and of the resources available to those affected by, domestic violence.

In 2021, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced increased funding of $6.5 million to address the issue and also highlighted a then-new “technology safety and innovation for survivors” public awareness campaign to shine a light on technology’s role in abuse.

 

Domestic violence can also have fatal affects on pets. Animal Welfare group, Little Wanderers, recently posted on social media that they had agreed to help a friend who was in grave danger of domestic violence and who was running for her life with her two young children and their cat. The group said the family were in “big trouble” and that their pet cat needed an immediate foster.

 

“The connections between perpetrators and victims of domestic [violence] and pets are complicated and varied,” Little Wanderers wrote. “Perpetrators of domestic violence often threaten harm or bring actual harm to their victims’ pets in order to control them, keep victims from leaving, or to punish them for actually leaving or attempting to leave.”

 

They said another beloved family pet cat had been thrown out of a 3-story window earlier the same day and was missing. They group added, “Concern over the safety of pets often delays domestic violence victims from seeking help, causes them to return to their abuser, or prevents them from seeking assistance entirely. We don’t want this to happen.”

 

They continued, “A study found that more than a quarter of domestic violence victims stay in abusive relationships for a median time of two years to avoid leaving their pets behind, and a staggering percentage of domestic violence victims report returning to an abusive partner out of concern for their pets’ safety.”

 

They added, “This response is well-founded, given that up to 89% of pet-owning women entering shelters reported that their abuser had injured, killed, or threatened family pets. This happened today. [The cat’s name] may be gravely injured; she was thrown out of a window.” More information can be found for Little Wanderers NYC here.

 

Speaking outside the viewing and wake for Alcántara Rubiera, a male spokesperson for the family thanked family members, the community, co-workers, and the clergy of both the New Life Outreach International Church and Alcántara’s own church for all their support while the family continued to grieve.

 

He said her body would be flown to the Dominican Republic on March 19 for another viewing and funeral service, before her burial alongside her sister, which was her mother’s wish. “It’s a very, very, very sad moment for the family,” he said before introducing Alcántara Rubiera’s aunt.

 

The aunt also thanked all those who supported the family and helped in the search for her niece who she described broadly in Spanish as a smiling, sweet person, very mature, even as a child, and a person of faith. “She was strong and took care of her family,” she said. “She found God when she moved here to the United States. She had made a lot of plans. She would go to church. We’re all going to remember her now,” she said. “We want everyone to remember her, as an example, especially women. Don’t let nobody talk loud to you. Don’t let nobody hurt you.”

 

Local services for those affected by domestic or gender-based violence are available in The Bronx. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic or gender-based violence, call 311 and ask to be connected to a NYC Family Justice Center or walk-in Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

The Bronx District Attorney’s domestic violence unit can be reached on (718) 838 6688. The nonprofit, Freedom Youth NYC, has long been working to help survivors of both domestic violence and human trafficking in The Bronx. Email Moniqueriley@freedomyouthfamilyjusticecenter.org or call (929) 612-3667 for more information.

PAMELA ALCÁNTARA RUBIERA’S casket is removed from the New Life Outreach International Church at 2757 Morris Avenue in Kingsbridge Heights and placed in a waiting hearse on Monday, March 17, 2025. Video by Síle Moloney

Call the NYC 24/7 Domestic Violence Hotline on 1-800-621-4673, or visit the NYC Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence for more information.

 

The Domestic Violence Officer at the 52nd Precinct, which covers some or all of Bedford Park, Fordham, Kingsbridge, Norwood, Bronx Park, and University Heights, can be reached at (718) 220-5843 or via e-mail.

 

The Domestic Violence Officer for the 50th Precinct, which covers some or all of Kingsbridge, Marble Hill, Riverdale, Fieldston, and Spuyten Duyvil, can be reached at (718) 543-6072 or via e-mail.

 

The Domestic Violence Officer for the 46th Precinct, which covers some or all of Fordham, University Heights, Morris Heights, and Mount Hope, can be reached at (718) 220-5254 or via e-mail