Tears for mom
HUSBAND HELD IN STAB OF ‘REALLY GOOD’ WOMAN
She followed him to New York from the Dominican Republic to pursue their version of the American dream — but after things went awry and they broke up, he turned jealous, violent and, say cops, murderous.
Carmen Iris Santiago’s boss at a Queens nail salon urged her to get an order of protection against her husband, Willaim Rivas, just days before police say he butchered her with a knife , the salon owner’s daughter told the Daily News.
Rivas, 39, was charged with murder Thursday, accused in the savage stabbing killing of his 35-year-old estranged spouse inside Tu S’tilo Salon and Spa on 37th Ave. near 93rd St. in Jackson Heights on Wednesday.
Rivas stormed into the salon as his wife sat in one of its chairs, video obtained by the Daily News shows. As Rivas swung a knife at Santiago nine times, two women in the salon tried to fight him off. One tried to pull him away, and another appeared ready to hit him with a chair.
Done with the slaying, Rivas dropped the knife and drank down some kind of poison, a law enforcement source said. He then stood over his spouse.
Video taken moments later shows Rivas, dressed in a torn green shirt, lying on top of Santiago and embracing her, a pool of blood congealing underneath them as he speaks softly to her.
First responders pulled Rivas off the victim. They rushed Santiago to Elmhurst Hospital, but she couldn’t be saved.
Rivas was arrested at the scene. His arraignment on murder charges was pending Thursday in Queens Criminal Court.
Mayra Chavez, 27, whose mom Lourdes Salazar owns the salon, said Santiago left Rivas because he was abusive.
The couple had lived together in a Corona apartment, said cops.
But even after she moved out, her husband tormented her. Once, about two weeks ago, she came to work beat up, and Salazar begged her to go to the police.
“My mom was trying to get her to go to the precinct to get an order of protection against him because two weeks ago he tried to strangle her,” said Chavez.
“Yesterday morning he went looking for her. He tried to break in to her apartment. She was able to leave and she came here to be safe. She thought she’d be safe here.”
A friend told The News on Wednesday that Santiago and her husband split in January after about four years of marriage, and that he became jealous when he saw her talk to other men.
Santiago, who worked on hair and makeup at the salon, is survived by two young sons, one 8 years old and the other a toddler.
“She was a very happy person. She would always treat people nicely. She would help out here. She wouldn’t say no if you asked for help. She was always laughing and making jokes and was charismatic,” Chavez said at a vigil at the salon on Thursday.
Family and friends prayed inside, while customers and neighbors watched outside. During the vigil, a man played guitar as a woman sang church hymns.
“She’s family. She’s been here since the opening,” Chavez said.