Sister mourns Bronx woman, 38, found dead in bed and beaten to death: ‘Didn’t deserve to die like this’

Nicholas Williams, Rocco Parascandola, Larry McShane, New York Daily News
Updated ·2 min read

The lifeless body of a 38-year-old Bronx woman, who cops say was was beaten to death in her apartment by her boyfriend, was found lying beneath the covers in bed, police said Thursday.

Lisette Gomez was beaten about the face and neck and cops are treating her death as a homicide — with family and friends describing an abusive relationship with an ex-con boyfriend.

Police charged her live-in boyfriend Jeremy Cortorreal, 33, with murder, manslaughter and assault in her death.

The victim’s sister said the two met at a liquor store about six months ago, and he soon moved into Gomez’s apartment.

“He’s a monster,” said older sister Carmen Torres, 44. “I was telling her, ‘He’s no good for you.’”

“She didn’t deserve to die like this, she really didn’t,” Torres added. “Wonderful woman, lovely, big heart.”

Gomez’s body was discovered Wednesday by someone she knew, police said. Cops received a 12:43 p.m. 911 call and responded to her apartment on Cauldwell Ave. near Westchester Ave. to find her corpse.

Torres said she reported violence against her sister to the police in January. In the end, she said, nothing came of her report.

But Gomez’s two sons, ages 6 and 8, were removed from her household in recent months because of the situation, Torres said. Gomez also struggled with a drug problem, her sister added.

“She’s lovable. I miss her,” Torres said. “She’s my younger sister.”

A former neighbor, Nilsa Rodriguez, said she saw signs of the abuse herself. “She walked with black eyes every day,” Rodriguez said.

“Her kids would call me ‘Nana,’” Rodriguez added. “She was a beautiful person, she had a good heart. Man, this is what kills me — why would they want to hurt her? Why?” she said. “She didn’t deserve this.”

“I told her he’s going to kill you. Leave him,” Rodriguez said.

Local resident Jimmy Alvarado said Gomez and her two children were doing just fine until the boyfriend moved into their home.

“Met the wrong person, thinking it was the right person,” he said. “She was good people, but she just went the wrong way. ... I wish she was still here. I just couldn’t believe it.”

Cortorreal’s arraignment in Bronx Criminal Court was pending late Thursday night.