Quantcast

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

Man Accused of Stabbing 19-Year-Old Ex-Girlfriend Charged with Murder

By Ben Fractenberg | January 2, 2013 7:10pm

INWOOD — Police charged a man with murder for allegedly stabbing his 19-year-old ex-girlfriend to death on New Year's Eve outside her Inwood apartment.

Jonathan Pena-Castillo, 21, is accused of stabbing Edith Rojas outside of 75 Thayer St. just after 3:45 p.m. Monday.

He then fled to Fort Tyron Park, where he stabbed himself before being apprehended and rushed to St. Luke's Hospital, officials said. He is in a medically induced coma at the hospital, sources said.

Pena-Castillo was charged with murder, menacing and criminal possession of a weapon, police said.

"For someone to do something like that, it's senseless," said Jose Quintanas, the Thayer Street building's superintendent.

Pena-Castillo had been following Rojas around after they broke up, said Ronny Peralta, the victim's brother.