BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The daughter of a woman killed in a stabbing in downtown Buffalo says the warning signs were there long before police arrived at the scene.
Buffalo Police say officers were called Saturday afternoon to the Pine Harbor Apartment Complex on Seventh Street, where 35-year-old Wilmarie Rivera was found stabbed. She was rushed to Erie County Medical Center, where she later died.
Police say 36-year-old Dominic Melendez has been charged with second-degree murder. Investigators say they are treating the case as a possible domestic incident.
Rivera’s daughter, who asked not to show her face, told 7 News her mother was loving, caring, and deeply devoted to her family, including her daughters and grandson.
"She said she was always going to be there for me," her daughter said. "It just hurts. I know she’ll always be with me, but I wish she was here."
But Rivera’s daughter says what happened Saturday did not come as a surprise.
She told 7 News that Melendez had previously made threats toward her mother.
"It was honestly expected," she said. "Because he would say it. He would say what he wanted to do to her."
Court documents obtained by 7 News show Melendez was already facing legal trouble before Rivera’s death.
Records show he was due back in court this week in a separate case involving drug charges and criminal contempt.
Those documents also accuse Melendez of violating a protection order in that case. According to court records, the violation involved being near the back window of an apartment belonging to a person who was 16 years old at the time. The records also show Melendez was detained during a domestic incident connected to that case.
WATCH: Court records show accused killer had prior cases before Buffalo woman’s death
Rivera’s daughter said her mother believed in seeing the good in people, even when the relationship became complicated.
"She only had good intentions toward him," she said. "She didn’t deserve that. She didn’t deserve that at all."
Rivera’s daughter says she is speaking out not only to honor her mother, but to make sure warning signs in similar situations are taken seriously.
The family has also started a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses and support Rivera’s children. A link to the fundraiser can be found here.
The Erie County District Attorney’s Office has not yet said when Melendez is expected back in court on the murder charge.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available 24/7 through the Erie County Crisis Services Hotline at 716-834-3131.
