Ma of ’96 victim stands by daughter-in-law

THE ELDERLY MOTHER of murdered businessman Howard Pilmar said it’s “killing” her to see his wife charged in the 1996 fatal stabbing.

In fact, she believes so strongly in her daughter-in-law’s innocence that she tried to post bail, the Daily News has learned.

“I cannot believe and I still don’t believe she had anything to do with it,” the 88-yearold said when reached by phone Tuesday afternoon.

Roslyn Pilmar, 60, lost a bid Tuesday to have a previous judge’s decision not to grant her bail reconsidered.

Howard’s mother, who asked not to be identified, said she has known Roslyn since she was 16 and that the two have had a harmonious relationship ever since.

“We’ve never ever had two words bad to say to each other and I believe that she didn’t do anything to my son,” the woman said.

Roslyn and her brother Evan Wald, 43, were charged in August in the cold case fatal stabbing of Howard, an office supply store and coffee bar owner with whom Roslyn shared one son — Philip.

Howard, 40, was found stabbed and slashed at least 25 times, surrounded by a pool of blood inside his E. 33rd St. office on March 21, 1996.

Roslyn got $1.5 million in life insurance benefits and inherited family properties. Their son was 10 when his father died.

Howard’s mother said Roslyn remained by her side after her son was killed — but by someone else.

“It’s killing me that my grandson is going through this. It’s killing me that Roslyn is going through this. And it’s killing me that I’m going through this,” she said.

She said Howard and Roslyn met in high school and that while she used to argue with her son, she “never” argued with Roslyn.

The mother’s surprising allegiance was revealed in Manhattan Supreme Court on Tuesday during arguments over Justice Jill Konviser’s denial of bail in the high-profile case.

Roslyn’s lawyer, Sam Talkin, brought the ruling to a different judge in Manhattan Supreme Court for review.

During the hearing, prosecutor Elizabeth Lederer said the victim’s mother has been fed a stream of lies by the sly suspect.

“Her information about what happened to her son is based entirely on statements (from Roslyn),” Lederer said. “All of the information she has comes from her daughter-in-law.”

The mother-in-law’s property was ultimately ineligible to use as collateral. Another relative offered up a New Jersey home in a package proposed by bondsman Ira Judelson, but release was rejected outright.

It is common for murder suspects to be held without bail pending trial.

Howard’s mother lamented that her adult grandson must visit his father in his grave and his mother in prison.

“I’m living through a tragedy that’s a nightmare and I can't seem to wake up,” she said.

She admitted she has not met with prosecutors to hear their side of the story.

“Absolutely not,” she said. “Because if I had to meet with them I would die — I would have a heart attack.”