(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Rodolfo Alvarez, 35, of Central Islip, pleaded guilty to Attempted Murder and other related charges, for stabbing and strangling his wife while she slept. Alvarez was apprehended by law enforcement months later after he was driving while intoxicated and struck his wife’s vehicle while she was on her way to work.
“The defendant strangled and stabbed his wife at a time when she was most vulnerable, and then hid for months to avoid accountability,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Our office treats domestic violence as the serious violent crime that it is, and we always pursue these cases aggressively from start to finish.”
According to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, on May 10, 2024, while the victim was sleeping in her Central Islip home, Alvarez stabbed her in the back with a kitchen knife and then strangled her until she lost consciousness. Alvarez then dragged her to the floor and continued to strangle her until he was interrupted by a relative who knocked and entered the room to let Alvarez know that police were on their way. Alvarez fled the residence before police arrived. The victim was transported to South Shore University Hospital to be treated for her injuries.
Police were unable to locate Alvarez until September 26, 2024, when he rear-ended and sideswiped the victim’s vehicle as she was driving to work, causing his own car to roll. When the car came to a stop, Alvarez fled on foot, but the police located him a short distance away and saw that he exhibited signs of intoxication. A blood sample drawn approximately one hour after the crash showed that Alvarez’s blood alcohol content was .22, over two times the legal limit.
On April 28, 2026, Alvarez pleaded guilty to the following charges before Acting Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz:
· One count of Attempted Murder, a Class B violent felony;
· One count of Attempted Assault in the First Degree, a Class C violent felony;
· Two counts of Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D violent felony;
· One count of Strangulation in the Second Degree, a Class D violent felony;
· One count of Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated, a Class D felony;
· Two counts of Driving While Intoxicated, a Class D felony;
· Two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A misdemeanor;
· One count of Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, a Class A misdemeanor;
· One count of Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree, a Class A misdemeanor; and
· One count of Leaving the Scene of an Incident Resulting in Injury, a Class A misdemeanor.
Alvarez is due back in court for sentencing on June 26, 2026, and faces up to 25 years in prison. He is being represented by Gerard Donnelly, Esq.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Katherine Flinchum of the Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detective Sean Walsh of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Third Squad and Detective Christopher Alberto of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Fourth Squad.
