Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Relatives Had Urged Man to Dump Girlfriend Before She Stabbed Him: Stepdad

By Eddie Small | March 11, 2015 4:57pm
 Delvalle tried to keep Cruz-Valentin away from his family because she knew they wanted to break up the couple, according to Cruz-Valentin's stepfather.
Delvalle tried to keep Cruz-Valentin away from his family because she knew they wanted to break up the couple, according to Cruz-Valentin's stepfather.
View Full Caption
Janet Cruz/Composite DNAinfo

CONCOURSE — Relatives of the man fatally stabbed by his girlfriend after she mistakenly thought he was texting another woman had urged him to break up with her because their relationship was too violent, the victim's stepfather said.

Kristal Delvalle, 23, knifed her boyfriend Norberto Cruz-Valentin to death on Monday in their shared apartment at 1064 Carroll Pl. after he texted his boss to let him know he would be late for work, police said. Delvalle had flown into a rage because she thought that he was texting another woman, family members said.

The two dated for about 16 months after meeting in Puerto Rico, and Cruz-Valentin's family quickly realized the couple was so unstable and prone to fighting that they tried to convince him to break things off, relatives said.

In response, Delvalle convinced Cruz-Valentin to stay away from his family.

"We were trying to get him away from her," said Gary Collins, Cruz-Valentin's stepfather, "and she was trying to keep him away from us."

Family members said Delvalle almost succeeded — keeping Cruz-Valentin isolated while the two were dating. The only time they could see him was when he was on the job.

"We just kind of saw him at work and stuff like that," Collins said. "It was hard."

Cruz-Valentin worked in maintenance at a gym in Midtown Manhattan, where he would often show up with bruises and injuries, his supervisor told DNAinfo New York on Tuesday.

"We were frustrated because we couldn’t get through to him to stay, to get away from her," Collins said. "After a while, you have to just say, 'You know what? Listen: we’re here for you. There’s not much we can do if you’re not going to take our advice.'"

Delvalle was arraigned late Tuesday night on charges of manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon, and she was ordered held without bail, according to the Bronx District Attorney's office.

She is due back in court on March 12, when she will likely decide whether to testify before a grand jury. It was unclear if she had been assigned a lawyer.

Collins had a simple reason for why Cruz-Valentin stayed with Delvalle despite his family's entreaties to end things.

"He really loved her," he said.