Illegal migrant butchered 2 women in savage LI murders, cops say: ‘I’ve killed someone’ – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)
Nassau County, N.Y. – Authorities arrested a 22-year-old illegal migrant after he confessed to stabbing two women to death in separate attacks just hours apart on Long Island. Rony Yahir Alvarenga Rivera turned himself in at a 7-Eleven convenience store in Lynbrook early Friday, calmly telling officers he had killed someone that night.[1][2] The victims, who did not know each other, suffered similar fatal wounds to the neck and torso. Police linked Rivera to both slayings through his confession and physical evidence.
A Frenzied Night of Violence Unfolds
The first attack occurred around 9 p.m. Thursday at a rental home on West Mineola Avenue in Valley Stream. Rivera allegedly stabbed his 32-year-old upstairs neighbor, identified as Eddy Raquel Hernandez Castillo, upward of 50 times without warning, leaving her in a pool of blood.[2] Nassau County police responded to the scene but initially had no suspect.
Several hours later, Rivera went to his workplace, a Wendy’s on Austin Boulevard in Island Park. As 42-year-old coworker Ana Maria del Aguila-Cordova took out the garbage just after midnight, he attacked her with a knife, inflicting multiple stab wounds to her neck and torso.[3] Officers found her body outside the restaurant and pronounced her dead at the scene. Del Aguila-Cordova, a mother of two young children, had been described by colleagues as kind and well-liked.
Suspect Surrenders With Damning Admission
Rivera did not flee after the second killing. Instead, he walked to a nearby 7-Eleven at 169 Atlantic Avenue in Lynbrook and asked the clerk to summon police. When officers arrived, he stated he had killed somebody that night, leading to his immediate arrest.[4] Investigators noted blood on his clothing and cuts on his hands, further tying him to the crimes.
Detective Lt. George D’Arienzo described the suspect’s demeanor during the surrender. “He asked to see the police… When police arrived he said he had killed somebody that night,” D’Arienzo told reporters. Rivera provided a full confession, authorities said, and police quickly connected him to the Valley Stream homicide as well.[2]
Background of the Accused and Investigation Details
Rivera, originally from El Salvador, entered the United States illegally in 2016 as a 12-year-old unaccompanied minor. He had no prior arrests in Nassau County and shared the Valley Stream home with the first victim, though they occupied separate bedrooms.[1] The two women shared no connection beyond their ties to Rivera.
Police characterized the attacks as fueled by anger, though no specific motive emerged. D’Arienzo summed up the suspect’s state in one word: “angry.”[4] A prosecutor at arraignment revealed the extent of the brutality in the first stabbing, noting the victim was attacked suddenly and repeatedly.
- Thursday, ~9 p.m.: Stabbing in Valley Stream home.
- Friday, after midnight: Attack outside Wendy’s in Island Park.
- Early Friday: Surrender and arrest in Lynbrook.
Court Appearance and Road Ahead
Rivera faced Nassau County Court on Saturday, where he pleaded not guilty to one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. A judge remanded him without bail. His next court date is scheduled for Tuesday.
The investigation continues as authorities process evidence from the scenes. Families of the victims, including del Aguila-Cordova’s two children ages 8 and 1½, grieve amid the shock of the random violence. These killings serve as a stark reminder of the unpredictability of such crimes in close-knit communities.
