A woman’s ex-boyfriend has been taken into police custody after her body was discovered inside a suitcase in Yonkers, New York.
Videos by Suggest
Pamela Alcantara, 26, was discovered dead on March 6th in a marshy area alongside the Saw Mill River Parkway, per local outlet WABC. Her body was found after she had been reported missing over the weekend, according to law enforcement officials.
The woman was declared dead at the scene, according to the NYPD.
Junior Perez Diaz, 46, faces charges of murder, kidnapping, and manslaughter in connection with the death of Alcantara, per PIX11. The couple had been together for three years before she ended the relationship recently, her family told WABC. Alcantara shared her Bronx apartment with the man.
Surveillance data revealed her ex-boyfriend’s license plate was detected near the location where her body was discovered at 9:50 a.m. on March 6th, as reported by WABC.
Law enforcement sources reported that the NYPD searched the area near the roadway where his vehicle had stopped. During the search, a drone spotted a red suitcase in the water, which was later found to contain her body.
Diaz was quickly taken into custody. Initially, he claimed that Alcantara had hurriedly left her apartment wearing pajamas and carrying a red suitcase, according to sources. However, evidence later uncovered by detectives contradicted his account. Following this development, he requested a lawyer, sources said.
The cause of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, as confirmed by the NYPD.
The Investigation that Led to the Horrific Discovery of a Woman Dead in Suitcase
Alcantara was reported missing on Sunday, March 2, after failing to attend church. Law enforcement officials have stated that the circumstances of her death are still under investigation.
According to the NYPD, surveillance footage captured Alcantara at her residence early Sunday morning, marking the last confirmed sighting of her.
Meanwhile, Alcantara’s family is confident that Diaz is responsible for this horrific act.
“She was supposed to move, and I think he found out,” Alcantara’s aunt Isa Peguero told WABC. “He used to put a recorder on the car and recorder in the bedroom so he can know everything what happened, what is she doing?”
Her family is heartbroken, describing how she was on the verge of turning a new chapter in her life. They have organized a GoFundMe to help cover the costs of laying her to rest in the Dominican Republic.