A woman in New York City, Sandra Coto-Navarro, 48, is accused of killing the person who managed her apartment building. This manager, Jose Portillo, 55, was collecting rent that she hadn’t paid.
Police say they found Mr. Portillo’s body hidden in Ms. Coto-Navarro’s apartment. He was wrapped in trash bags and clothes and stuffed under a bed. His coworkers got worried when he didn’t come back after going to her apartment to collect the rent and called the police... Continue reading here ▶
Ms. Coto-Navarro told police that Mr. Portillo had come to her apartment but left after she paid him $23,000. However, police looked at security camera footage and it didn’t show him leaving.
When police went back to her apartment, they found the body in the bedroom. They also smelled bleach and saw a mop and what looked like blood near the bed and a dresser.
Medical examiners said Mr. Portillo died from being hit in the head many times and having a bag put over his head. They also found cuts on his neck and leg that happened after he died.
Neighbors said Mr. Portillo used to be a gardener and was a friendly man.
Ms. Coto-Navarro was arrested and is charged with murder, hiding evidence, and having a weapon. It’s not known if she has a lawyer or if she has said whether she is guilty or not.
The district attorney called this a terrible murder, saying that Ms. Coto-Navarro not only killed the manager but also tried to cut up his body, wrap it in trash bags, and clean up the area with bleach.
The district attorney said that this violence over a rent problem is unacceptable and that Ms. Coto-Navarro will be punished. If she is found guilty, she could spend 25 years to life in prison.
