Man Slain In Stabbing Was Killer's 'Family Friend': Suffolk DA

WEST HILLS, NY — A Huntington Station man was charged Friday with murder after prosecutors said he stabbed his family friend to death a day earlier in West Hills.

Candelario Cordova, 53, was charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death Thursday of Roque Cisneros, 58, of Huntington Station. Cordova also slashed and stabbed his friend's wife when she tried to intervene, Ray Tierney, the Suffolk district attorney, said Friday.

"This defendant allegedly murdered his friend and was savagely attacking his friend’s wife when she tried to save her husband’s life," Tierney said. "Our thoughts are with the Cisneros family as we prosecute this defendant for this horrendous crime."

Cisneros's wife, Vilma Campos, 54, looked out the front window of her home and saw her husband sitting in the front of a passenger seat of an SUV on Thursday, authorities said.

Cordova, a family friend of nearly 20 years, and who was seated in the driver’s seat of the SUV, appeared to try to get Cisneros out of the SUV, prosecutors said. When Campos saw Cordova suddenly pull away with her husband still in the SUV, she jumped in her car and followed them.

Cordova stopped his SUV around the corner on Oakwood Road, jumped out, opened the trunk, and grabbed a long knife, prosecutors said. Cordova then opened the passenger side of the SUV and repeatedly stabbed Cisneros in the neck and body, prosecutors said.

Campos tried to stop the attack by grabbing Cordova, who then began slashing and stabbing her, prosecutors said.

Several passing motorists stopped and intervened, ultimately subduing Cordova until police arrived. Law enforcement said they recovered the knife used in the attack.

Cisneros died at the scene. Campos was taken to Huntington Hospital for her stab wounds.

"It is unknown at this time what Cordova’s motive was in killing Cisneros," the district attorney's office said.

Cordova was arraigned on Friday on a charge of second-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty, was remanded, and is due back in court March 6. Cordova is being represented by John Manley.