New York man charged with murdering his girlfriend — stabbing her to death in a secluded area of Pelham Bay Park
Published by RawNews1st
New York man charged with murdering his girlfriend — stabbing her to death in a secluded area of Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx New York — drove around aimlessly as she bled to death in his car before eventually bringing her to the hospital and then claiming two Black men killed her in a mugging.
On September 17, 2025 at around 8:10 p.m., The suspect, Franklin Batallas, allegedly stabbed his girlfriend of six years, 30-year-old Anthonella Contreras Linarez repeatedly in the face and neck after pulling her car over in the Bronx park, Assistant District Attorney Che Van-Eer said at his arraignment.
“The defendant did not call 911, but rather he drove around making multiple U-turns erratically before finally driving to Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital where the victim was pronounced deceased,” said Van-Eer.
Linarez bled out while Batallas drove around, leaving the interior of the car and his clothes soaked in blood.
Linarez, a registered nurse at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, was in the process of breaking up with the suspect, who was described as having a jealous streak.
Batallas initially tried selling investigators a bogus story, claiming he and the victim were headed to City Island to meet a friend for dinner when he pulled her car over inside Pelham Bay Park — at City Island Road and Park Drive — to urinate, at which point two Black men on a moped, dressed in all black with hoodies, pulled up to the car and demanded money from Linarez.
Batallas claimed that when she refused, they repeatedly stabbed her in the face, neck and body — and slashed him in the left arm after he ran from the bushes in a vain attempt to save her.
He said the attackers then drove off.
His tall tale was ultimately unraveled by investigators, and Batallas was arrested and charged with murder, assault and weapons possession.
“Since the inception of this case, the defendant’s entire account of the events are uncorroborated and contradicted by video and physical evidence that the people are in possession of at this time,” Van-Eer said.
Police also found Batallas’ hair on Linarez’s hands, which indicated a fierce struggle, cop sources said.
Batallas was also said to have wounds, and police were trying to determine if he slashed himself on purpose, or by accident as he was attacking her.
A Bronx criminal court judge ordered Batallas held without bail at his arraignment just after midnight on Saturday. He faces 25 years to life if convicted on the top charge of murder.
The judge also granted defense attorney, Carolina Garcia’s request that Batallas be placed on suicide watch while in custody, and that he receives mental health observation and medical attention.
