Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Manuel Villar, 50, is charged with murder in the stabbing death of his 43-year-old wife early yesterday morning in Far Rockaway, Queens. After the stabbing, the defendant allegedly exited the apartment, leaving the dying woman in the bedroom, and then called 911 while on the run.

District Attorney Katz said, “This is a heartbreaking scenario. It is the worst outcome of domestic violence, leaving three sons without their mother. My heart goes out to her family and the sons left behind. The defendant will be held accountable for his alleged actions.”

Villar, of Beach 58th Street in Far Rockaway, is awaiting arraignment in Queens Criminal Court on a complaint charging him with murder in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

District Attorney Katz said that, between 1:30 and 3:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, the defendant and his wife, Ivette Villar, argued in the bedroom of their apartment. The couple’s sons and one of the son’s friends were also in the apartment, some of them sleeping in another part of the home. At one point during the heated exchange, the defendant allegedly took a knife and stabbed the 43-year-old woman.

According to the charges, Villar left his wife bleeding in their bedroom and slipped out of the apartment. The defendant called 911 and police responded to the scene where the woman was found deceased on the floor and leaning against the bed. The defendant was apprehended yesterday morning in Brooklyn.

The investigation was conducted by Police Officer Valerie Rivera of the New York City Police Department’s 101st Precinct Detective Squad and Detective Ramon Munoz of the NYPD’s Queens South Homicide Squad.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Patricia Diaz, with the assistance of Senior Assistant District Attorney Kirk Sendlein, both of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, are prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Brad A. Leventhal, Bureau Chief, Peter J. McCormack III, Senior Deputy Bureau Chief, John W. Kosinski and Kenneth A. Appelbaum, Deputy Bureau Chiefs and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Daniel A. Saunders.

DA Katz urged victims of domestic violence to call the District Attorney’s 24 hour helpline (718-286-4410) to be connected to support services, housing referrals or if they need to speak with a prosecutor.