When Vianel Garcia was dropped off by her friend at Riverside Park on Sunday to meet with her son Miguel Duval, police officials said the mother noticed something odd: His hands were bleeding.
Law enforcement sources still don’t know what caused those injuries, but they were able to piece together the events that followed which led to Garcia’s violent death off an embankment in the park that afternoon — and her son being charged with the heinous crime.
Police officials said the doting 44-year-old mother tried to persuade her 25-year-old, over 6 foot tall and 250-pound son to go to the emergency room to get his hands checked — but he told her that he wanted to eat first.
After getting lunch at Chipotle, police officials said, the pair sat on a bench near West 165 Street and Riverside Drive at around 4 p.m. on July 14.
Moments later, witnesses screamed in horror, Officers from the 33rd Precinct rushed to the scene, and came upon the terrifying sight.
“They basically both fall down a kind of ravine area onto an embankment near the Henry Hudson Parkway. People hear the woman still screaming. The screaming suddenly becomes muffled,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. “He is covered in scratches and covered in blood. The perpetrator tries to flee the scene on foot. Patrol officers respond, they quickly apprehend him after a brief foot pursuit.”
Kenny reported that Garcia suffered what he described as blunt force trauma with massive facial injuries; skull fragments were even left scattered at the scene.
“He actually beat the earrings off her,” Kenny remarked.
Police believe Duval allegedly also bashed his mother’s head into a brick wall, and beat her with a stick and bottle. Chief Kenny said Duval allegedly admitted to the slaying, claiming Garcia was abusive.
The pair once lived together in Harlem, according to police. More recently, Duval had been staying in a Washington Heights homeless shelter. Police did not comment on why he was no longer staying with his mother.
Duval has one prior arrest for criminal trespassing and was being seen by a psychiatrist. He has been charged with murder.
