A 44-year-old man from the Bronx has been charged with murdering his 30-year-old girlfriend. Authorities reported that he initially admitted to being involved in a violent incident while on the side of the road with her.
Franklin Batalas was taken into custody around 1 PM and faces charges of murder, assault, and criminal possession of a weapon related to the death of Ansonella Contreras Linares, who was killed on City Island Wednesday night, police confirmed.
Batalas claimed that he and Linares were en route to dinner when a tragic event unfolded. He stated that while they were stopped on a moped, they were attacked by two men who attempted to abduct Linares and stabbed her multiple times when she resisted. The assailants fled the scene.
After this confrontation, Batalas rushed back to the vehicle to intervene, maintaining he was injured while trying to protect her.
Linares, who suffered multiple stab wounds, was transported to Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital, where she later died from her injuries, according to police reports.
Batalas, who had a stab wound on his forearm, was also taken to the same hospital but was reported in stable condition before he was linked to the incident.
Linares worked as a registered nurse at Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital. Her father expressed his devastation over her loss, telling the Post that he is waiting for police to complete their investigation. “I can’t say it wasn’t [his fault] because the police are investigating,” he added, acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding the case.
The Mount Sinai Health System community issued a statement expressing their sorrow over Linares’s passing and extended their condolences to her family and friends.
