The Chelsea man who stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death in her East Harlem apartment last month after she returned from walking her dog has been indicted on a second-degree murder charge, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced Tuesday.
Candido Rodriguez, 51, was arrested two days after allegedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend, 33-year-old Melanie Woods, to death on Tuesday, April 23, at approximately 6:15 a.m. inside her Second Avenue apartment. That day, officers from the 25th Precinct responded to a 911 call for a wellness check at the residence at approximately 6:11 p.m.
When officers arrived, they discovered Woods unconscious and unresponsive in her bathtub, authorities said, with multiple stab wounds throughout her body and a laceration to her neck.
EMS were on site and pronounced Woods dead at the scene.
That morning, the DA’s office said, Rodriguez allegedly went to Woods’ home while she was out walking her dog. When she returned home at around 7:15 a.m., neighbors heard chaos including screams and crashes coming from inside the apartment. The ruckus stopped at around 8 a.m., which is when neighbors said they heard Woods’ door open and footsteps go down the stairs.
According to court documents, Rodriguez allegedly left the building at approximately 8:05 a.m. and hailed a cab.
Meanwhile, a friend grew concerned she had not heard from Woods all day and called 911 for a wellness check. When police found the victim, she had over a dozen stab wounds, including six-inch deep wounds to her torso and stab wounds to her neck.
On Tuesday, May 28, Rodriquez was indicted in a New York State Supreme Court on one count of Murder in the Second Degree.
“As alleged, Candido Rodriguez brutally murdered Melanie Woods, his ex-girlfriend, in her apartment after waiting for her to return from walking her dog. I send my deepest condolences to Ms. Woods’s family and friends as they continue to mourn her loss,” Bragg said. “Ms. Woods’s life was tragically cut short, and my Office will work to secure justice for her.
The pair had been in an on-again, off-again relationship since 2023, but a few weeks before the brutal murder, Woods broke up with Rodriguez, the DA’s office said.
If convicted of the murder, Rodriguez faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
The District Attorney’s office urges anyone who is being abused or knows someone who is being abused by a current or former partner to call the office’s helpline at 212-335-4308.
