Photo by Síle Moloney
The missing 26-year-old woman, Pamela Alcántara Rubiera, of 2200 Morris Avenue in Fordham Heights, whose body was found inside a red suitcase on a highway near Yonkers on Thursday, March 6, died of homicidal asphyxiation according to evidence presented in court by the Bronx District Attorney’s office on Saturday evening, March 8.
The news was confirmed during a Saturday night arraignment at Bronx Criminal Court for defendant Junior Perez Diaz, 46, the victim’s boyfriend, who she had planned to leave and who was arrested on murder and other charges on Friday, March 7. His arraignment had been delayed for most of Saturday.
According to the criminal complaint signed and dated March 7, on or about, and between Sunday, March 2, at around 2 a.m. and March 2, at around 5 p.m. inside Alcántara Rubiera’s home, which she shared with Perez Diaz, he allegedly committed murder, manslaughter, and kidnapping causing the death of the 26-year-old woman.
The grounds for the sworn evidence provided by NYPD Det. Jeovany Geronimo (the deponent) of the 46th Precinct and summarized in the criminal complaint, are that it is his belief based on the NYPD investigation, statements made by Perez Diaz, witnesses known to the NYPD, and video surveillance from around the alleged time of the crimes, Perez Diaz allegedly prevented Alcántara Rubiera from leaving their home between the hours of 2 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 2, causing her to miss a phone call, and a church planning event she was expected to attend.
Photo by Síle Moloney
According to the complaint, Geronimo said that Perez Diaz, allegedly exited his home at around 5 p.m. on March 2 with the red suitcase containing the victim’s body. The deponent went on to say that the defendant allegedly drove with the suitcase to Sawmill Parkway near Yonkers in Westchester County, where he left it inside a ditch along the side of the parkway before Exit 5.
As reported, Norwood News had observed a silver-colored car being towed in front of the 46th Precinct on Thursday evening, March 6, while Perez Diaz was reportedly being questioned inside the station-house. We asked the NYPD if the car was being towed as evidence in the case. We did not receive a response.
No video or audio recording was permitted by the media inside the courtroom. A bail request for Perez Diaz by his defense was denied during the arraignment by presiding Judge C. Ortner due to a flight risk, based on Perez Diaz’s “prior history” [record of theft], a prior failure to appear in court, and the severity of the allegations in the context of the murder case. Based on the evidence, it was the view of one of the parties in court (who were not facing the media) that Perez Diaz “puts his own self-interests above those of society’s.”
Photo courtesy of the NYPD
The court heard that Alcántara Rubiera’s body had been found with bruising to the neck, arm, and head.
The legal parties acknowledged and agreed that Perez Diaz and Alcántara Rubiera were known to each other. The court heard that the victim had planned to leave Perez Diaz, and that he had been “secretly recording” her. The prosecution requested a copy of Perez Diaz’s statement and alibi, and asked that he be remanded in custody for the duration of the case. The prosecution said that Perez Diaz was the only person to enter and exit the couple’s apartment after the last sighting of Alcántara Rubiera alive.
The court also heard that neighbors had tried to reach out to Alcántara Rubiera after her disappearance but couldn’t get inside her apartment. The prosecution alleged that Perez Diaz allegedly “lied” to neighbors about her disappearance and allegedly gave false information about his girlfriend’s whereabouts, as well as those of the red suitcase.
Screenshot courtesy of DM Noticias
There was some discussion during the arraignment among the legal parties about a video interrogation of Perez Diaz which reportedly took place on March 5, and the date of his arrest which was March 7.
Perez Diaz, who has dark hair and a medium build, appeared in court dressed in blue jeans, white sneakers, a black sweatshirt with red lettering on the front, a black jacket, and with some facial hair / stubble. His head was held at a horizontal angle, not lowered/tucked and not raised, and he did not appear to be emotional. Instead, he appeared to display a neutral facial expression, and to have his hands cuffed behind his back, though a court officer blocked the view of reporters throughout his court appearance.
It did not appear that there were any family members of the victim present in the courtroom, though there were some other people present (as other arraignments also took place the same evening). The defense attorney for Perez Diaz requested an order of protective custody for his client while remanded, along with medical attention.
As reported, Alcántara Ribiera’s body had been discovered by police (unconscious and unresponsive) in the vicinity of the Saw Mill River Parkway near Yonkers on March 6 at around 9.51 a.m., in the context of an investigation by the NYPD into her recent disappearance.
They said EMS responded to the location and pronounced the woman deceased, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner would determine the cause of death.
Perez Diaz was charged March 7 with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, and second-degree kidnapping. (The latter charge appears to have been later updated to two separate counts of kidnapping according to the criminal complaint.)
Photo by Síle Moloney
As reported, police had said that Alcántara Rubiera had last been seen on Sunday, March 2, at around 2 a.m. at her home. They said she was described as female, Hispanic, around 5 feet, 1 inch tall, weighing around 145 pounds, with hazel eyes and brown hair. “She was last seen wearing a black jacket, black pants, and black dress shoes,” an NYPD spokesperson said.
The media outlet, DM Noticias, had shared this video footage on social media following her disappearance with accompanying text in Spanish, which reads (in English), “Pamela Alcántara, a young Dominican of 26 years of age, was last seen on Sunday, March 2, around 2 a.m. at her home located at 2200 Morris Avenue in The Bronx.” The video reportedly shows Alcántara Rubiera’s last known movements inside her building.
As reported, the victim’s family had said a red suitcase was missing from the victim’s apartment, along with her cellphone but not her credit cards or other belongings. For more on what her family said about her disappearance, click here.
Screenshot courtesy of DM Noticias
On the night of March 6, at Alcántara Rubiera’s home, several missing person fliers were seen posted outside and inside the building and candles were also seen outside on the sidewalk in a small box under another missing person’s flier.
On Friday, Alcantara’s death was confirmed by her family via two GoFundMe pages which were set up by family/friends to raise money for the transportation of her remains to the Dominican Republic for her burial. They can be read here and here. Read more on this here. A vigil was later held on Friday evening outside her home. More to follow.
Perez Diaz is presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.
Photo by Síle Moloney
The Bronx DA’s domestic violence unit can be reached on (718) 838 6688.
As previously reported, the nonprofit, Freedom Youth NYC, has long been working to help survivors of both domestic abuse and human trafficking in The Bronx. Email [email protected] or call (929) 612-3667 for more information.
Read some of our previous stories on the topic of domestic violence here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here.
Photo by Síle Moloney
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.
All calls are strictly confidential.
admin
Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to [email protected] or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.