NEED TO KNOW
- Hiojaira Velez Bonilla’s boyfriend says he witnessed her being stabbed to death
- Arnaldo Cintron and Hiojaira’s cousin Giselle Santiago Bonilla were arrested in connection with her murder
- Bonilla’s boyfriend tells police Cintron allegedly threatened to harm his family if he did not help hide Hiojaira’s body
A Florida man claims he witnessed his girlfriend being stabbed to death before the alleged killer forced him to wear her clothes as he put on the woman’s wig.
The victim, 42-year-old Hiojaira Velez Bonilla, was stabbed to death in her Riverview, Fla., residence, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in an Aug. 19 statement.
Arnaldo Cintron, 42, was arrested on several charges including murder, and his girlfriend Giselle Santiago Bonilla, 37, was arrested on a witness tampering charge, among other offenses, per police.
Hiojaira’s boyfriend Elga Davis II reported the killing to authorities on Aug. 15.
Davis alleges Cintron forced him to help hide Hiojaira’s body, according to authorities and statements he made during a court hearing on Monday, Aug. 25, FOX 13, the Miami Herald and WFLA reported.
Davis further claimed Cintron was in Hiojaira’s wig and clothing, and made him wear her clothes at some point during the alleged murder, the Miami Herald reported, citing authorities’ account.
The killing took place following an argument between Cintron and Hiojaira, per the sheriff’s office.
Hiojaira, who was known as “Joy” among friends and family, was a mom of two and Giselle’s cousin.
On the night of the killing, Hiojaira had reportedly confronted Cintron, who had recently moved into her house with Giselle, for not helping with bills and household chores, per WFLA.
“I’m sitting there, and the next thing I know I hear somebody getting hit in the throat, and they made that.. ughk sound,” Davis, 29, said in court on Monday, “and then I tried to go run over there and then I see her on the floor, like crazy dance.”
Cintron is accused of then threatening Davis that he would kill Hiojaira’s son, who was in the house at the time, if Davis did not help him clean up and move her body in a box, per his testimony.
Hiojaira’s body was found after Davis reported the incident to police.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x454:751x456)/hiojaira-joy-velez-bonilla-082725-1-3fb33967cb4e4f9aae2ddb71f1e3e081.jpg)
Hiojaira is being remembered for her dedication to her family.
“She was a devoted mother, daughter, sister, and friend whose life was stolen far too soon,” her family wrote in a GoFundMe set up to assist her teenage boys.
“She was their rock,” read part of the fundraiser, “their safe place, and their biggest supporter.”
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
Cintron has been charged with second-degree murder and Giselle has been charged with accessory after the fact, per the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
They both face additional charges of unlawfully moving a corpse, tampering with evidence and tampering with a witness.
Online court records did not indicate plea or attorney information for Cintron. Online court records for Giselle were not immediately available.
Read the full article here