Police searching for suspect in Bronx stabbing death: 'They are going to catch you'

FORDHAM, the Bronx (PIX11) — Less than a week after tragedy changed their lives forever, the family of slain 61-year-old Tyrone Padilla is speaking out after police say he was stabbed to death in his Bronx apartment building on Jan. 5.

Padilla’s mother, Violeta Castro, prayed for God to give her strength Wednesday while staring into the sky just hours before her son’s funeral, as she spoke to PIX11’s Zhané Caldwell.

“I am asking God to give me the strength like the sky,” Castro said. “Look how beautiful it is.”

Investigators released photos of a man who they say followed Padilla into his apartment building at 2415 Creston Ave. and stabbed him in the neck and armpit. The man then left the scene, according to NYPD, leaving Padilla’s family to find him lying on the steps. Castro said she held him as he took his last breath.

Police are searching for the suspect pictured in connection with the fatal stabbing. (Credit: NYPD)

Padilla’s cousin, Joe Paz, said the family was visiting Puerto Rico for two weeks when they arrived home just hours before Padilla’s death.

“He’s not a bad guy,” Paz said. “I don’t know how that happened.”

According to the family, Padilla, who the NYPD said was living with autism, left his home briefly around 1:20 a.m. to walk his dogs and came back home to drop the dogs off before heading back out for a quick grocery store run. However, Paz said his cousin never returned home.

“He asked me for my food stamps, he went downstairs, and that happened just like that,” said Paz.

“They are going to catch you, they are going to catch you,” Castro shouted while pleading for justice for her son and for NYPD to arrest the unidentified suspect.

The community embraced one another outside their apartment building as they mourned the shocking loss of a longtime neighbor gone too soon.

“He didn’t deserve that,” said Linda, a neighbor who did not want to give her last name. “He didn’t deserve that because I heard that he takes care of his mom and his mom is hurt. So me and my home attendant, which is my son’s home attendant, gave our condolences to her.”

Padilla’s body will be laid to rest in Puerto Rico, according to his family.

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).