New York Man, His Mother Charged in Torture-Murder of His Girlfriend
Share and Follow

A 27-year-old New York man was arrested over the weekend in the torture murder of his girlfriend, whose brutalized body was found a stairwell of a Bronx apartment building last month.

A week-long manhunt finally dredged up Robert Strother, who is charged with murder, manslaughter, hindering prosecution, concealment of a human corpse, and tampering with physical evidence, the same charges his 54-year-old mother faced when she was arrested after police discovered the body of 21-year-old Princesa Encarnacion-Soto, WPIX reported.

Encarnacion-Soto’s body was found on July 22 with multiple stab wounds, head trauma, a piece of one of her knuckles missing, and slits in the skin on the bottom of her feet, court documents say.

“The wounds themselves were inflicted for pain, not to kill,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at a briefing after the body was found.

Investigators also found bloody sheets, bloody clothing, and a bloody bungee cord in the apartment Strother shared with his mother, Naida Jorge. Investigators said they believe Encarnacion-Soto was tied to a bed and tortured before her body was dumped in the third floor stairwell.

“There are slice marks on her thighs, slice marks on her upper arms and shoulders. The ones on her legs were fresh. The ones on her upper torso seemed like they were in the process of healing,” Kenny said.

Court documents say Jorge tried to clean the scene of the vicious murder and may have tried to clean the victim’s body.

“There was no blood on [the victim]. There was no blood on her as she lay on the staircase, and she was in fresh clothing that had no blood on it. So, it’s a possibility that someone cleaned the body, put fresh clothes on her, and threw her down a flight of stairs,” Kenny said.

Police said Encarnacion-Soto had been living in Rhode Island and moved to the Bronx apartment on July 11. Strother had 22 prior domestic violence arrests, although none involved the woman he is accused of killing.

Police said they had responded to the apartment for domestic abuse calls 22 times in the past and that two of those calls were made by Jorge against her son, WABC reported. Police believe Encarnacion-Soto was tied down and tortured for a week before she was killed.

Strother was arrested Saturday and arraigned on Sunday, when he entered a not guilty plea, WPIX said.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

K-9 Unit Triumphs: Pair Arrested as Dog Uncovers Fugitive Buried Under Mountain of Debris

Staff Report ARCHER, Fla. – Authorities apprehended Michael Louis Leopold, 47, and…

Tragic Hit-and-Run: New South Carolina Mom Fatally Struck in Parking Lot

Authorities in South Carolina are actively seeking the individual responsible for a…

Hollywood Pressure: Did Weight Gain Fears Fuel Nick Reiner’s Murderous Descent?

Nick Reiner, accused of the tragic act of killing his parents, reportedly…

Tragic Incident: Woman Allegedly Shoots Infant Son to Prevent Ex-Boyfriend’s Involvement

Background: The Grant County Detention Center in Silver City, New Mexico (Google…

BBC Seeks Dismissal of Defamation Suit as Judge Considers Halting Trump’s Controversial Discovery Strategy

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to his supporters at Save America Rally…

Trump Administration Criticizes Trump-Appointed Judge Over Alleged ‘Gross Abuse of Power’ and Prosecutor Title Dispute

Inset: Lindsey Halligan, special assistant to the president, speaks with a reporter…

McDonald’s Employees Allegedly Failed to Act as Tragic Incident Unfolded in Drive-Thru, Lawsuit Claims

Left inset: Jose Juan Rangel and Maria Vargas Luna (KCAL/YouTube). Right inset:…

Authorities Apprehend Individual with Human Skull in Vehicle; Over 100 Skeletal Remains Discovered at Residence

In Pennsylvania, prosecutors have brought to light unsettling revelations about a 34-year-old…