BUSHWICK — An 81-year-old man surrendered to police early Monday morning after he fatally stabbed his great-granddaughter's father at her 1-year birthday party, police said.
Nicholas Diaz was hosting the girl's birthday at his home at 1225 Broadway, near Van Buren Street, about 2:17 a.m. Sunday when the girl's parents started arguing and he intervened, NYPD officials said.
The dispute escalated and Diaz plunged a knife into the chest of the girl's 21-year-old father, Kevin Rivera, an avid skateboarder who had a strained relationship with her mother's family, police said.
Rivera, who lived about three blocks away on Bushwick Avenue, was pronounced dead at Woodhull Hospital, police said.
"The doctors came in and said they did everything they could, but they couldn't save him. His wrists and arms were wrapped up. He had a cut on his forehead," said Rivera's grandmother who raised him.
Diaz fled after killing the man and remained on the run until he turned himself into the NYPD's 83rd Precinct stationhouse at 12:55 a.m. Monday morning, a police spokesman said.
He was arrested on charges of manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon, police said.
Diaz shuffled into the courtroom wearing a dark jacket over a white Tyvek suit during his arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court Monday afternoon.
About ten of his family members were in the courtroom and several started to weep while he turned to face the judge.
"His family says this is a man who wouldn't hurt a fly," his defense attorney told judge Sharon Clarke.
Rivera and Diaz's granddaughter were having "loud, violent fight going on the night of this incident," his lawyer said, adding that the granddaughter has "received death threats" from people claiming to be friends of Rivera.
Rivera's family was still trying to grapple with the young man's death the next morning.
"It's hell. It's miserable. A lot of suffering, a lot of crying," said his grandfather, Jose Rivera, 65.
Rivera had a contentious relationship with his girlfriend and the rest of her family, who resented that he was unemployed, relatives said.
"She made him suffer so much. She'd call and give him hope and make him so happy. But the whole family treated him so bad," Rivera's grandfather said.
"He would cry a lot. He was miserable," he added.
Despite that, he was devoted to her because of the daughter they had together, relatives said.
"He didn't want his life to be without her. He loved [his daughter] so much. He thought if two people make a child, they should be together the rest of their lives," Rivera's grandfather said.
Relatives warned Rivera before he headed to his daughter's party, they said.
"The grandfather never liked him. He wasn't a good person at all. I always told him to be careful with that man," said Rivera's grieving grandmother.
"He said, 'I have to go.' I gave him my blessings to go," she added.
Hours later, Rivera was killed.
Relatives remembered him as a loving man who also liked to play guitar.
"He had so many friends. He was a person who would win love from everyone," said Rivera's grandfather.
Family also said they hoped Nicholas Diaz would face justice for killing the young father.
"I hope and pray he spends the rest of his life rotting in jail. The family needs to suffer for what they did to my [grandson]," Rivera's grandmother said.
Diaz was held without bail.
