The gruesome scene where a Manhattan man allegedly stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death and dumped her bloody body in a bathtub was described to The Post by police and law enforcement officials.
Melanie Woods, 33, of Second Avenue, suffered multiple stab wounds and cuts to her neck when police and firefighters entered her apartment for a welfare check on Tuesday night around 6 p.m. Police and sources told the Post that he was found dead.
Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene, and the city medical examiner called it a homicide.
Woods was supposed to go to California, but was unable to get on the plane, prompting concerns from his mother and friends who had tracked his cellphone’s location back to his apartment.
On Thursday afternoon, police arrested the boyfriend, Candido Rodriguez, 51, of West 22nd Street, and charged him with first-degree murder and weapons possession, police said.
Officials said one neighbor told police she saw Rodriguez in the stairwell around 7 a.m. Tuesday, and another told police earlier that morning that she saw Rodriguez before someone closed the door and walked down the stairs. He said he heard a commotion coming from the apartment.
Police found a large table inside the apartment that appeared to be blocking the front door, the source added.
Heartbroken family members Barbara, Stephen and Kelly Woods described Melanie in an online fundraiser as a loving dog mother who traveled extensively, sought adventure and “always rooting for the underdog.”
“To know Melanie was to love her,” they wrote. “She was a vibrant soul who brought out the best in those around her. We will never forget this.”
The family hopes to take her back to her native California, they wrote.
Relatives had already raised more than $28,000, far more than the $10,000 requested for her cremation and for her family to fly to New York to resolve her issues. .
“It’s hard to say goodbye to someone who has had a huge impact on our lives,” they wrote. “It’s always difficult to lose someone you know, let Melanie go, and move on. But if we keep those good memories in our hearts and minds, we can find solace and Melanie Always with us.
“Rest in peace, beautiful lady,” they said. “We love you very much.”
