Police say the woman’s 16-year-old son was also stabbed and is expected to survive.
BRONX, N.Y. — A 45-year-old man has been charged in the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend, a 42-year-old mother of three, inside a Concourse Village apartment where the couple lived and where prosecutors say the woman’s children were inside during the attack.
The killing, which police say happened just before 7 a.m. Feb. 28 at 956 Sherman Ave., has shaken neighbors in the tight cluster of apartment buildings near the Grand Concourse. Investigators say the woman was stabbed multiple times and her 16-year-old son was also wounded. The suspect, Juan Rivas, pleaded not guilty at arraignment and was ordered held on Rikers Island as the case moves through Bronx court.
Officers from the NYPD’s 44th Precinct were called to the building after 911 reports of an assault in progress, police and court records say. In the hallway, investigators found blood leading to an apartment where the victims were discovered. The woman, Yesenia Hall, had stab wounds to her neck, stomach and back, authorities said. Her teenage son, found nearby, had stab wounds to his neck and back. Both were rushed to Lincoln Hospital, where Hall was pronounced dead. The boy was listed in stable condition and is expected to survive.
Rivas was arrested after police say he fled the apartment shortly after the attack. Prosecutors said in a criminal complaint that three children were inside the home at the time. Hall’s daughter told authorities she watched as her brother was stabbed during the violence, according to the complaint. A third child stayed inside a bedroom during the attack, prosecutors said. The criminal case does not detail how long the violence lasted, but neighbors told police they woke to screams and commotion in the early morning hours.
Friends and neighbors described Hall as a devoted parent who pushed through challenges and made time for people around her. “She was very young, very ambitious, very bright, brilliant,” neighbor Kim Antonio said. Residents of the building said the crime left them rattled, especially because children were in the apartment. Several neighbors said the sounds that morning were unlike the usual noise of a busy Bronx building and that the hallway felt different afterward, with police tape, flashing lights and officers going door to door.
Authorities said Rivas faces charges that include second-degree murder, manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child, along with additional counts tied to the injuries suffered by Hall’s son. Police said he was also charged with attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon. Prosecutors have not publicly described the weapon in court filings released to news organizations, and they have not described a motive. Court records also did not indicate whether there were prior protective orders or a documented history between the couple. Those details, if they exist, are expected to be addressed as the case proceeds.
The stabbing adds to a long list of domestic violence incidents that police and victim advocates say often escalate behind closed doors. Neighbors said the building, like many in the area, is home to working families and longtime residents who look out for one another. After the killing, some residents said they were focused on helping the children and on making sure Hall’s family had support for funeral costs and day-to-day needs. Others said the attack raised new fears about how quickly violence can erupt in a place that is supposed to be safe.
In court, Rivas entered a not guilty plea and was ordered held as he awaits his next court appearance, authorities said. His next date is Thursday, March 5. Prosecutors are expected to continue gathering medical records, 911 calls and witness statements, while detectives review any video footage from inside or around the building. The boy’s medical condition will also be a key part of the investigation as prosecutors decide how to present the timeline and the sequence of injuries to a grand jury, if the case moves in that direction.
For residents of Concourse Village, the scene outside 956 Sherman Ave. has become a grim marker: a place where neighbors watched investigators carry evidence bags and where families walked children past officers stationed in the lobby. Some residents said they recognized Hall as a familiar face in the building, someone who greeted people in the elevator and navigated the daily routines of school mornings and errands. Others said they did not know her personally, but the fact that a mother was killed steps from where they live made the tragedy feel immediate.
As of Tuesday, authorities said Rivas remained in custody while Hall’s family mourned and her injured son recovered. The next major milestone in the case is Rivas’ March 5 court appearance, when prosecutors are expected to update a judge on the investigation and the status of evidence collection.
Author note: Last updated March 4, 2026.