KEARNY – A 36-year-old Chestnut St. resident, who was reportedly in the United States illegally, stabbed the mother of his three children to death in their second-floor apartment, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarezsaid.
Jose Castro-Lavado, originally from Peru, was arrested April 10 by Kearny police officers in connection with the death of Luisa Cristina Reyna-Tello, 46.
He has been charged by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Homicide Unit with first-degree murder, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.
Suarez said on April 10, at approximately 6:45 p.m., Kearny police officers were dispatched to 133 Chestnut St., on a 911 call of a “medical injury.” Upon arrival, officers said they observed the lifeless victim, Reyna-Tello, who had apparent stab wounds.
The victim, who reportedly lived in the apartment with Castro-Lavado, was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 7:10 p.m. The cause and manner of death are pending an investigation by the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office. The results of that investigation were not available as of presstime (check www.TheObserver.com during the weeks for any potential updates to this story.)
A New York City-based TV journalist told The Observer she interviewed a teenager who lived near the scene. The boy said he’d heard loud noises coming from the apartment.
“I heard screaming,” the boy said. “She was saying, ‘My mom, my mom, why my mom?’ That’s what really stuck with me.’”
The Prosecutor’s Homicide Unit is actively investigating the case with assistance from the KPD.
Anyone with information about the homicide is asked to immediately contact the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office at 201-915-1345 or to leave an anonymous tip on the Prosecutor’s Office official website at www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip.
All information is kept confidential.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.