Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez has announced that on October 25, Edwin Orlando Velasco-Salazar, 24, of West New York, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter related to the death of Irma Doris Contreras, which occurred on November 1, 2019, in West New York.
According to Prosecutor Suarez, Velasco-Salazar appeared before the Honorable Vincent J. Militello, J.S.C. and admitted to recklessly causing Contreras’ death while exhibiting an extreme indifference to human life.
Prosecutor Suarez stated that on November 1, 2019, at approximately 3:41 a.m., members of the West New York Police Department responded to the entry vestibule of 214 63rd Street in response to a report of an unconscious female.
According to Prosecutor Suarez, when officers arrived at that location, they found Contreras, age 32, in the doorway with no pulse. Contreras was transported to Hackensack Meridian Health Palisades Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 4:20 a.m.
The Regional Medical Examiner’s Office determined the Cause of death to be compression of the neck and the manner of death to be a homicide.
The investigation by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit and West New York Police Department revealed Velasco-Salazar and Contreras were walking into the vestibule of 214 63rd Street and then Velasco-Salazar walking out alone.
According to the investigation, Contreras was found in the vestibule several minutes later by three pedestrians. Velasco-Salazar was subsequently arrested and charged by members of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit.