Somerville man, 55, charged with killing his wife, 46, after a year of marriage
⚠️ Ignacio Espinal is charged with the murder of his wife at their Somerville home.
➡️ Investigators say the fatal attack was on August 6 — the defendant was arrested 2 days later.
🔴 The couple got married just over a year ago, according to the victim's social accounts.
SOMERVILLE — Less than a month after celebrating their first wedding anniversary, a 55-year-old Somerset County man is charged with murdering his wife.
Ignacio Espinal, of Somerville, is accused of brutally "hacking" 46-year-old Alyne Silva Espinal to death in their Brookside Avenue home.
Police say fatal attack happened hours before 911 call
Police said the deadly attack happened early in the morning on Thursday, Aug. 6, but it was not until 7:30 p.m. that a 911 call came in, urging a response to the victim’s lifeless body.
The victim had suffered multiple wounds to her chest, neck, and thigh, Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said.
A camping-style hatchet with suspected blood on it was recovered from the home, according to an affidavit filed by investigators.
Surveillance footage from a local hardware store showed Espinal buying the hatchet 4 weeks earlier.
Espinal is accused of trying to mop up the victim’s blood after the attack before taking off in her vehicle, as seen in different security camera footage from near the home.
Footage from separate cameras in Paterson show Espinal parking the car and leaving it on a city street.
In addition to Somerville police and his own office, McDonald said the investigation and ensuing manhunt involved local police in Union City, West New York and Paterson, as well as the New York City Police Department, Port Authority NY/NJ, Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On Tuesday, Ignacio Espinal was arrested in West New York and brought to the Somerset County jail, where he was being held pending a detention hearing.
He is charged with first-degree murder and third-degree counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and hindering.
Read More: What we know about Brooke Hanlon's Morris County stabbing death
Couple had recently celebrated their first anniversary
On July 13, the victim shared a beach selfie with the defendant, writing that one year earlier, it was the day before their wedding.
A few days later, she posted another beach photo with her husband, in which she reflected on the past year of marriage.
“Since then, we've discovered that love is so much more than a feeling - it's a daily choice. We come from different worlds (🇧🇷, 🇩🇴, 🇺🇸), with different creations, cultures, and unique quirks. And to be honest, crossing these bridges hasn't always been easy. But every challenge has only shown the strength of what we're building,” the post said.
Read More: Murder charges filed in Ocean Township domestic homicide
Family mourns Alyne Silva Espinal
The victim was also a mother and grandmother, according to her social media accounts.
On Saturday, the victim’s sister posted a memorial to Facebook.
“We are in shock, devastated, heartbroken. We have no information, not even about the funeral. There are no words to describe how early and absurdly her life was taken... My beautiful, strong, and hardworking sister,” The victim’s sister posted, as translated into English.
“I send my love and wish that she be embraced by the Lord, be cared for and healed, have peace and justice,” she added.
The victim had been working alongside her adult son at a local restaurant for over five years, according to a GoFundMe campaign setup to support her grieving family members.
"Her warmth and smile is imprinted on all of us, eternally. As coworkers, friends, and even just as Somerset county residents, we are shaken to the core that something like this could happen right in Somerville, NJ. Law enforcement has done an excellent job thus far ensuring this heinous act would see justice," according to the fundraiser's organizer, Kramer Herr.
Anyone with information about this investigation was urged to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100 or the Somerville Police Department at 908-725-0331 or via the STOPit app.
These 31 convicted killers were pardoned by Gov. Murphy
Gallery Credit: Rick Rickman
Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom
