A 22-year-old migrant from El Salvador has been charged with the stabbing murders of his roommate and a coworker in New York, both occurring within hours on the same night.
Rony Yahir Alvarenga Rivera faces one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder in Nassau County. Authorities say he has been in the United States illegally since the age of 12.
The first victim, a 32-year-old woman, was found dead at the Valley Stream home she shared with Rivera. Police say the killing occurred around 9 p.m. on Thursday.
Just after midnight, police responded to a nearby Wendy's restaurant, where they discovered a 42-year-old mother of two, also a coworker of Rivera, dead with multiple stab wounds to the neck and torso.
While investigating the Wendy's homicide, officers received a 911 call about a man needing help at a nearby 7-Eleven. There they found Rivera, who told them he had killed someone. He was arrested and linked to both murders.
Police have not disclosed a motive, but Nassau County Police Homicide Commander George Darienzo described Rivera's mindset as 'angry.'
