A man faces murder charges after police found his ex-girlfriend dead in a suitcase near a highway in Yonkers. Police arrested Junior Perez Diaz, 46, and charged him with murder, manslaughter, and kidnapping. The NYPD confirmed the charges on Friday. The victim, 26-year-old Pamela Alcantara, had recently broken up with Diaz.
Body found along the Saw Mill River Parkway in Yonkers
Police discovered Pamela Alcantara’s body on Thursday inside a suitcase beside the Saw Mill River Parkway in Yonkers. They quickly tracked down Diaz after a license plate reader spotted his car near the scene. Authorities arrested him for questioning shortly afterward. Investigators soon linked her ex-boyfriend to the crime.
Alcantara spoke with her mother over FaceTime on Sunday, the same day she was last seen in her apartment in Fordham Heights.. Surveillance cameras show her entering the building’s elevator, but she never came back out. Police suspected her ex-boyfriend in her disappearance.
Family’s growing concern when she didn’t show up for church
Her family became worried when Pamela didn’t show up for church on Sunday. They immediately reported her missing. The family put up flyers of her near her apartment in the Bronx. They wanted to find her quickly and feared her ex-boyfriend’s involvement.
The family is devastated by the sudden loss. One relative said, “We are all devastated. This should have never happened.” Another family member said, “She was only 26 years old and had her whole life ahead of her.” They are heartbroken that her ex-boyfriend may have taken her so soon.
Breakup with Diaz ex-boyfriend and signs of a struggle in the apartment
Pamela had recently broken up with her ex-boyfriend, Junior Diaz. They had been in a relationship for three years. Pamela was in the process of moving out of the apartment. Family members noticed signs of a struggle when they entered the apartment on Monday. They believe this is where she was killed by her ex-boyfriend.
A memorial for Pamela grew outside her apartment building Thursday night. Friends and family gathered to mourn her loss. The community is still in shock over the tragedy. Pamela’s family grieves as they try to understand what happened, knowing her ex-boyfriend faces charges.
