Photo Courtesy of Google
Rivas stabbed Santiago inside the Tu S’tilo Salon and Spa on 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights.
By Forum Staff
The Queens man who stabbed his estranged wife to death last August in the nail salon where she worked, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for manslaughter. William Rivas, 39, of Corona, entered the Jackson Heights salon and repeatedly plunged a knife into the woman’s torso. District Attorney Katz said, “Today’s sentence of the court punishes this defendant for committing this fatal domestic violence attack against his estranged wife, whom he repeatedly stabbed in front of horrified onlookers at her workplace.” Rivas pleaded guilty today to manslaughter in the first-degree before Queens Supreme Court Justice David Kirschner, who imposed the maximum sentence of 25 years in prison to be followed by 5 years post release supervision.
Shortly before 7 p.m. on August 7, 2019, Rivas entered Tu S’tilo Salon and Spa, on 37 th Avenue, and approached his estranged wife, Carmen Iris Santiago. The defendant began to argue with the 35-year-old woman until the owner of the shop escorted him out of the salon. A few moments later, however, the defendant barged back in and this time pulled out a long knife. He repeatedly stabbed the victim in her
chest. Police, responding to the scene, found Rivas on top of his bleeding wife. Ms. Santiago, the mother of 2 children, was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she died.
