A Glen Cove man was arraigned for the murder of his estranged mother-in-law as she left a West Hempstead restaurant after a birthday celebration last month.
On September 28, the victims — 51-year-old Ana Ruth Espinoza, and her husband, and other family members — were celebrating Espinoza’s adult daughter’s birthday at the La Candela II restaurant in West Hempstead. Erick Efren Corado Gonzalez, Espinoza’s daughter’s estranged husband, was not invited to the celebration.
At just after midnight on September 29, 2024, the partygoers were leaving the restaurant and heading for their vehicles. Corado Gonzalez then approached Espinoza in the parking lot and allegedly stabbed her seven times in the torso. When her husband tried to intervene, Corado Gonzalez allegedly stabbed him in his hand. Espinoza’s adult son also tried to help his mother, but Corado Gonzalez allegedly pointed an imitation pistol at the man and threatened him not to follow him. Corado Gonzalez then fled the scene. The alleged attack took place in the presence of the defendant’s two-year-old son.
Espinoza and her husband were both taken to Winthrop Hospital for treatment. Espinoza suffered hemorrhagic shock from being stabbed in the neck and was pronounced dead at 3:58 a.m.
Corado Gonzalez fled the state after the stabbing and was arrested on September 29 in Linden, New Jersey by local authorities. He was extradited to Nassau County on October 22. A knife was recovered from the restaurant’s parking lot and an imitation pistol was recovered from the defendant’s car trunk.
Gonzalez, 27, was arraigned on October 22 before Judge Joseph Girardi on charges of second-degree murder (a Class A-I felony), second-degree attempted murder (a Class B violent felony), first-degree attempted assault (a Class C violent felony), second-degree menacing, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and endangering the welfare of a child (all Class A misdemeanors). He was remanded and is due back in court on November 4. If convicted, Corado Gonzalez faces up to 50 years to life in prison.
“Ana Ruth Espinoza was out with family celebrating her daughter’s birthday at a West Hempstead restaurant and saying her goodbyes when she was allegedly ambushed by Erick Gonzalez, her daughter’s estranged husband, and ruthlessly stabbed seven times,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “Ana’s husband tried to stop the defendant’s alleged rampage but was slashed in the hand when he intervened. Tragically, Ana’s injuries were too severe, and she died later that morning at the hospital. Our thoughts are with her family and friends as they continue to mourn her violent and senseless death.”