A Massachusetts teen fatally stabbed a bedridden woman when her family encountered car trouble. Now, she will remain behind bars for decades.
Bristol County District Judge Renee Dupuis sentenced 18-year-old Heavenly Arroyo to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the stabbing death of Ana Vasquez-Rodriguez. Arroyo pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
“This case was a tragedy for everyone involved. The defendant brutally murdered the victim, who was only trying to help her move forward with her life,” said District Attorney Thomas Quinn III, according to WPRI.com.
On Oct. 6, 2019, officers responded to the home of Arroyo’s great-uncle after receiving a distress call from the victim’s grandson. Upon arrival, they found the body of Vasquez-Rodriguez in a pool of blood.
According to prosecutors, Arroyo’s great-uncle had taken custody of the defendant at his sister’s request a week prior to the incident. Hence, the couple planned to take the defendant to New York to get legal documents formalizing the custody and visit other family relatives. However, after encountering car problems and the delayed trip, Arroyo suddenly got frustrated and retrieved a pair of scissors before heading into the victim’s room. Then, the defendant stabbed the 68-year-old Vasquez-Rodriguez, who was bedridden from a prior stroke, 70 times. Later, the defendant took a shower, threw her blood-stained clothes in a nearby dumpster, and told the victim’s grandson, Vasquez-Rodriguez was not feeling well.
Initially, Arroyo claimed she saw a masked man fleeing from the home while walking the dog. However, during the follow-up interviews with investigators, the defendant made some spontaneous and incriminating admissions about the homicide.
“My heart goes out to the victim’s family. There is nothing any of them could have done to prevent this terrible incident from occurring,” said Quinn, reported The Herald News.
At the time of the incident, Arroyo was 15 years old and suffering from mental health issues.
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