A Salvadoran national who entered the United States illegally as a minor stabbed two women to death in separate attacks at a Long Island Wendy’s restaurant and a private residence, leaving behind devastated families and sparking questions about border enforcement failures that span administrations.
Double Murder Shocks Long Island
Rony Yahir Alvarenga Rivera, 22, now faces first-degree and second-degree murder charges after police say he killed his 32-year-old roommate and 42-year-old coworker Ana Maria del Aguila-Cordova. Nassau County police responded to the Wendy’s location on Austin Boulevard in Island Park just after midnight Friday, where they discovered Aguila-Cordova’s body. Investigators believe she was attacked while taking out garbage during her shift. The mother of two young children—ages eight and one—worked at the fast-food restaurant to support her family in Long Beach, New York.
Killer Called Police After First Attack
After the initial stabbing, Alvarenga Rivera contacted authorities himself. Detective Lieutenant George Darienzo, commanding officer of Nassau Police’s homicide unit, told reporters the suspect was stopped at 169 Atlantic Avenue in Lynbrook where he requested to speak with officers. When police arrived, he confessed to killing someone that night. Shortly after 3:00 A.M. Friday, investigators discovered Alvarenga Rivera’s 32-year-old roommate dead at her Valley Stream home on West Mineola Avenue. Police believe she was murdered around 9:00 P.M. Thursday, hours before the Wendy’s attack.
Brutal Stabbings Driven By Rage
Nassau County Police Chief Patrick Ryder described crime scenes that revealed extreme violence driven by uncontrolled anger. Both victims suffered multiple stab wounds to the neck and torso, indicating frenzied attacks. When asked about possible motives, Detective Lieutenant Darienzo offered one word: anger. He declined to elaborate further on what may have triggered the deadly rampage. Immigration records show Alvarenga Rivera crossed the border illegally from El Salvador in 2016 at age 12 during the Obama administration. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Community Mourns Victims
The Long Beach community remembers Aguila-Cordova as a hardworking mother who dedicated herself to providing for her two small children. Her youngest child was barely a year old when her mother was killed. Friends and neighbors have organized support for the family as they process this tragedy. The identity of the second victim, Alvarenga Rivera’s roommate, has not been publicly released. Both killings occurred within a six-hour window, leaving investigators to piece together what drove the accused killer to commit such brutal acts against two women he knew personally.
