A 26-year-old woman from the Bronx, New York, was discovered deceased in a suitcase near the Saw Mill River Parkway in Yonkers, New York, on March 6, 2025. She was planning to leave the apartment she shared with her former boyfriend.

Pamela Alcantara was last observed at her Fordham Heights apartment early on March 2. Her family filed a missing person report after she did not attend her usual church service, which was out of character for her as a committed Christian.

“She was only 26 years old and had her whole life ahead of her,” a relative told News12.

Authorities found Alcantara’s body in a red suitcase near Yonkers Avenue and Palmer Road at approximately 9:50 a.m. The New York City medical examiner classified her death as a homicide.

Junior Perez Diaz, age 46, Alcantara’s ex-boyfriend, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, and two counts of first-degree kidnapping related to her death.

Investigators reportedly used a license plate reader to track Diaz’s vehicle to the site where Alcantara’s body was found.

Surveillance video from Alcantara’s apartment building captured her entering an elevator early Sunday morning but did not show her leaving. Further evidence allegedly showed Diaz moving a suitcase containing Alcantara’s body on a dolly from the building to his car.

“We are all devastated because this should have never happened,” another family member told news outlets.

Relatives noted that Alcantara had ended her three-year relationship with Diaz and was in the process of moving out. Upon visiting the apartment on Monday, family members found signs of a struggle, leading to suspicions about Diaz’s involvement.

Family members reported that Diaz had shown controlling behavior, including monitoring Alcantara with recording devices during their relationship.

Alcantara’s mother mentioned that her daughter had confided in her about Diaz’s threat to commit suicide if she left him.

Alcantara’s cousin said that days before her disappearance, Alcantara asked her mother to pray for her. Her best friend became worried when Alcantara failed to attend church, as she was known for her active participation in the church community.

Alcantara’s mother believed her daughter withheld details of the abuse due to her own mourning over the recent loss of another daughter, as reported by CBS News. Alcantara often said she did not want to worry her mother, who was still grieving.

Diaz initially claimed that Alcantara left the apartment hastily, wearing pajamas and carrying a red suitcase, but evidence later disproved this account.

A candlelight vigil took place outside Alcantara’s Bronx home on Friday evening. Community members and faith leaders gathered to honor her life, highlighting her community service and work with the homeless.

The vigil also aimed to raise awareness about domestic violence, stressing the importance of recognizing warning signs in relationships.

Alcantara’s family has started a GoFundMe campaign to cover expenses for transporting her body to the Dominican Republic for burial.

The NYPD continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding Alcantara’s death.