A Salvadoran migrant who entered the United States illegally as a child stands accused of brutally stabbing two women to death in a rage-fueled attack that left a Long Island community reeling and two young children without their mother.

Double Homicide Rocks Long Island Community

Rony Yahir Alvarenga Rivera, 22, faces first and second-degree murder charges after allegedly killing two women in separate attacks last week. Police responded to a Wendy’s restaurant on Austin Boulevard in Island Park just after midnight Friday, where they found 42-year-old Ana Maria del Aguila-Cordova fatally wounded. The mother of two—an eight-year-old and a one-year-old—had been taking out garbage when the attack occurred. Alvarenga Rivera, her coworker at the fast-food restaurant, allegedly inflicted multiple stab wounds to her neck and torso.

While officers investigated the Wendy’s crime scene, Alvarenga Rivera reportedly called authorities himself and confessed to the stabbing. Detective Lieutenant George Darienzo, commanding officer of the Nassau Police homicide unit, told reporters that during the initial investigation, officers received information about an individual stopped at 169 Atlantic Avenue in Lynbrook. When police arrived, the suspect stated he had killed someone that night.

Second Victim Discovered at Home

Investigators discovered a second victim—Alvarenga Rivera’s 32-year-old roommate—deceased at her residence on West Mineola Avenue in Valley Stream shortly after 3:00 AM Friday. Authorities believe she was murdered Thursday evening around 9:00 PM, approximately three hours before the Wendy’s attack. Both women suffered multiple stab wounds to the neck and torso. Nassau County Police Chief Patrick Ryder described the crime scenes as evidence of a man acting in extreme anger.

Suspect Entered Country as Minor in 2016

Police revealed that Alvarenga Rivera entered the United States illegally from El Salvador in 2016 at age 12, during the Obama administration. When asked about a possible motive for the double homicide, Detective Lieutenant Darienzo offered a single-word explanation: anger. He declined to provide additional details about what may have triggered the violent rampage. Alvarenga Rivera has entered not guilty pleas to all charges. The case highlights ongoing concerns about border security and vetting processes for unaccompanied minors entering the country. Del Aguila-Cordova’s young children now face life without their mother, while two families mourn senseless losses.