NYC kids who witnessed grandmother’s machete murder share their grief at killer’s Bronx sentencing

When a Bronx pastor hacked his estranged wife to death with a machete in front of her grandkids, he stole their grandmother and their innocence.

The children and their parents lamented the 2019 slaying of beloved matriarch Noelia Mateo in victim impact statements as her killer Victor Mateo was sentenced to 23 years in prison on Thursday.

“I remember my grandmother’s death like it was yesterday,” the older of the two kids, 13, said in a statement read in Bronx Supreme Court.

“Victor Mateo stole my grandmother and my innocence,” continued the child, whose name was withheld. “I lost so much within a few hours; I had nightmares and PTSD.”

Family members recounted Oct. 3, 2019, starting out like any other, with Noelia Mateo whipping up a smoothie for her older grandchild as she readied to take the kids to school.

But Victor Mateo drove to his estranged wife’s home on Ellsworth Ave. in Throggs Neck, waited for her to leave and mowed her down with his car. The younger grandchild thought the reverend, 65, was going to call an ambulance, but he emerged with a machete in hand and hacked the 58-year-old victim to death.

“He was just getting ready to cause more damage and pain to my family,” recounted the young witness, who is now 11.

Noelia Mateo was estranged from her husband, the former pastor at the Christian Congregation The Redeemer Church for about a month when she died, according to the Bronx District Attorney’s office.

Her family denounced the killer as they mourned their loss.

“She was a beautiful lady with a man who was horrendously controlling and not what he vowed to do when marrying her,” her older grandchild said. “His animalistic act against my grandmother was done in cold blood.”

Noelia Mateo’s son Kenneth Zunigia Fernandez recounted years of worry over Victor Mateo’s treatment of his mother.

Victor Mateo allegedly demanded his wife give him all her paychecks from her work at a cheesecake business and threatened bloodshed when she finally said she was leaving him.

“Mateo used the Bible, religion and his ‘pastor’ role to manipulate not only my mother, but his church members,” the grieving son said.

For Angie Romero, the loss of her mother is “unbearable.”

“I long deeply to see her again, to sit and drink coffee like we used to,” she said, “to get a phone call from her ... to just see her hug my kids and to share all the great things we have accomplished.”

Victor Mateo went on the run after the murder and was arrested days later in Hazelton, Pa. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter in November.

“The defendant not only took the life of a Bronx grandmother, but also inflicted a possible lifetime of trauma to her grandchildren who were witnesses to this horrific crime,” said Bronx DA Darcel Clark.

“I would have wanted more time with my beautiful grandmother,” said the 13-year-old grandchild, adding that Noelia “did not deserve to leave the Earth in such a sad way.

“May my grandmother rest in peace in Heaven, never having to see the man who killed her again.”