A Bronx man will spend 15 years in state prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision, after admitting he tried to kill his 75-year-old neighbor by stabbing her inside an elevator in their Morris Heights apartment building in 2024. Prosecutors say the woman survived, but not without a punctured lung, permanent nerve damage, dozens of stitches and a months-long recovery.
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark condemned the attack as “vicious” and said, “It is a miracle she survived.” Prosecutors say Edwin Rios, 40, waited for the victim on Easter morning 2024, followed her into the elevator and repeatedly stabbed her before walking away. He later pleaded guilty to attempted murder on June 1. Those details and the sentence were reported this week by News 12 New York.
How the attack unfolded
Neighbors and building surveillance footage showed the assailant calmly leaving after the elevator assault at 2066 Morris Avenue, while the victim staggered through the hallway, banging on doors and pleading for help as she bled. Emergency responders took the woman, identified as Zonona Ramos, to St. Barnabas Hospital, where she was stabilized. She then spent about two months in a nursing facility as she recovered from her injuries.
ABC7 New York reported in April 2024 that Rios was out on parole at the time of the stabbing and was arrested at the scene.
Sentence and legal background
Rios pleaded guilty to attempted murder on June 1 and was sentenced this week to 15 years in prison plus five years of post-release supervision, according to prosecutors. Court records and prosecutors note that Rios had a prior attempted murder charge dating back to 2013, which the District Attorney cited in arguing for a lengthy prison term. The plea and sentencing details were reported by News 12 New York.
