Body of missing Bronx woman who had asked mother to ‘pray for her’ in final phone call found in suitcase in creek
Alcantara was a ‘sweet’ woman who ‘helped anybody,’ her family said
The body of a 26-year-old missing Bronx woman was found stuffed in a suitcase on Thursday just out New York City.
Pamela Alcantara’s body was found inside a red suitcase floating in a Yonkers creek. Alcantara was last seen on security footage, which shows her entering her Bronx apartment building’s elevator early Sunday. There’s no footage of her leaving.
Police have taken a person of interest in for questioning, according to WABC. The New York Police Department hasn’t released the person’s identity, but WABC and CBS New York both report it is Alcantara’s ex-boyfriend.
“There are no arrests at this time and the investigation remains ongoing,” the NYPD said in a Friday morning statement to The Independent. “The identity of the deceased is pending proper family notification.”
Her cousin, Naysa Peguero, told WABC Alcantara and her mother last spoke on the phone over a week ago.
"'Mom pray for me,' she said that to her last Thursday," Naysa said. "She said, 'mom, I just want you to pray for me,' and that was all."
During that phone call, Alcantara said she’d see her mom at church on Sunday. She never showed up.
Alcantara's aunt Isa Peguero told WABC she’s certain her ex-boyfriend killed the 26-year-old.
The pair dated for three years before Alcantara recently ended things, according to WABC. Alcantara was in the process of moving out of their shared apartment when she disappeared — her family even bought her a car and helped her find a place to live to ensure she could get out.
"She was supposed to move, and I think he found out," Isa told the outlet. "He used to put a recorder on the car and recorder in the bedroom so he can know everything what happened, what is she doing?"
“She was a very good girl, sweet, helped anybody,” a relative told CBS New York.
Naysa said Alcantara spent much of her time at work or at church.
"She went to church, she went home, she spoke with her mom on a daily basis and she only spent time with church friends and went to work,” Naysa told WABC.
"I checked her Facebook, I was telling my mom, she doesn't have any pictures up," Naysa added. "The only thing she has was her profile picture up. She wasn't allowed to put any pictures up."