Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Stabbing Of 19-Yr-Old Manhattan Woman Was 2012's Last Murder
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Jan 1, 2013
Modified Jan 1, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Jan 1, 2013
Modified Jan 1, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A 19-year-old woman was stabbed to death in the Inwood section of Manhattan yesterday afternoon, marking the last recorded murder of 2012.
Cops say Edith Rojas, who lived on Thayer Street with her family, was walking home from a laundromat at 3:47 p.m. when she was brutally stabbed by Jonathan Peno Castillo, 21. Castillo was reportedly one of Rojas' former boyfriends. Authorities say after he stabbed her, he fled to Inwood Hill Park and tried to stab himself to death before he was found. According to a neighbor, Rojas called her mother after the stabbing, who came and stayed with her until an ambulance took her to New York Presbyterian Hospital, where she succumbed to her wounds.
Yesterday's stabbing was the 417th and final recorded homicide this year, a record low for the city. It was also the second homicide of the day. Erion Mecani, 23, was fatally shot in the head and neck in the Bronx at 1:30 a.m. yesterday morning while sitting in his father's parked Cadillac. There have been no arrests yet, and officers say they are investigating the incident and whether or not Mecani's murder was a possible hit job.
Tagged
bronx
edith rojas
erion mecani
inwood
jonathan peno castillo
manhattan
murder stats
stabbing
Rebecca Fishbein
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NJ early voting begins Saturday. Here's everything you need to know.
Our 2026 New Jersey voter’s guide for this year’s midterm elections.
By
Mike Hayes
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 11:01 a.m. ET
Countdown clocks are coming to an NYC bus stop near you
New York City bus service isn't exactly reliable, but new digital countdown clocks will give riders a better sense of how long they have to wait.
By
Stephen Nessen
News
Countdown clocks are coming to an NYC bus stop near you
New York City bus service isn't exactly reliable, but new digital countdown clocks will give riders a better sense of how long they have to wait.
By
Stephen Nessen
Are NJ schools unconstitutionally segregated? It's back to the courts to decide.
By
Colleen O'Dea
Early Addition: New Jersey considering a ban on chewing gum because of microplastics
By
James Ramsay
Queens mother charged with murdering her son after failed suicide attempt, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .