Nassau police ID 2 women fatally stabbed last week in Valley Stream and Island Park

The first woman allegedly stabbed to death in Nassau County late last week, identified by police Tuesday as Eddy Raquel Hernández Castillo, 32, of Valley Stream, was described by those who knew and loved her as a hardworking, "kind-hearted" native of El Salvador. Others remembered the second woman who died, identified Tuesday as Ana María Del Águila Córdova, 42, of Long Beach, and a native of Peru, for her "vibrant spirit."

The Nassau County Police Department on Friday arrested and charged the Valley Stream man they said killed both women, Rony Yahir Alvarenga Rivera, 22. He pleaded not guilty to murder charges Saturday in connection with both homicides, in which the victims suffered “multiple stab wounds to the neck and torso,” Newsday previously reported.

At a news conference after Alvarenga Rivera's court appearance Saturday, Nassau County Police Det. Lt. George D'Arienzo said “anger” fueled the killings.

Del Águila Córdova is survived by her husband, two children in the United States and an adult son in Peru, according to an online fundraiser to provide for her loved ones.

“To those who knew Ana María, she will be remembered and cherished as a vibrant spirit,” the fundraiser said. “With her unwavering enthusiasm and love, she gained the admiration from her colleagues, friends, and family alike. This is thanks to a blend of warmth, dedication, and unwavering work ethic that she gave out to the world.”

Another online fundraiser was started to help relatives of Hernández Castillo deliver her remains to her native El Salvador “so that her parents and siblings may give her a dignified funeral."

“We deeply mourn her loss; all who knew her remember her as a good woman — hardworking, humble, and kind-hearted — whose passing has also left in mourning the family for whom she worked as a babysitter," a message on the fundraising campaign website reads.

Nassau police allege Alvarenga Rivera first killed Hernández Castillo around 9 p.m. Thursday in the Valley Stream home where they both rented bedrooms. D'Arienzo said he was unaware of a relationship between the two.

About 3½ hours later, police responded to a call regarding an individual armed with a knife at Wendy’s on Austin Boulevard in Island Park, the department said. Outside the restaurant, officers discovered Del Águila Córdova, who was pronounced dead at the scene by a Nassau police medic.

As the department investigated Del Águila Córdova's death, Lynbrook officers responded to a local 7-Eleven, where they discovered Alvarenga Rivera with blood on his clothing and cuts on his hands, Newsday previously reported. When they found him, he told police he killed a woman, according to prosecutors.

Officers then responded for a wellness check about 3:13 a.m. Friday at Hernández Castillo’s home, where she was pronounced dead, the release said.

Alvarenga Rivera pleaded not guilty Saturday at First District Court in Hempstead to first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder, Newsday reported. He was represented by a court-appointed attorney who declined to comment following the arraignment. Updated information for an attorney representing him was not immediately available Tuesday afternoon.

Newsday's Sam Kmack and Joe Werkmeister contributed to this story.