Man Fatally Stabs Partner Over Suspicion of Infidelity

A man in the Bronx has been accused of stabbing the mother of his children during a domestic dispute, resulting in her death. The incident occurred over the weekend after the man suspected she was unfaithful.

40-year-old Tamara Rowe was found unresponsive in her home on East 232nd Street near White Plains Road in Wakefield. She was rushed to Montefiore Medical Center but died from her injuries. The attack took place inside their sixth-floor apartment, and a child was present at the time, though it’s unclear if this was one of their children.

Khaleel Cooper, 39, was taken into custody and faces charges including murder, manslaughter, endangering a child, and criminal possession of a weapon. He has no prior arrests, and his arraignment is pending.

According to a relative, Rowe worked night shifts at a restaurant in Queens, and law enforcement noted that Cooper had become suspicious after seeing her with another man. The family member shared that Cooper was upset about Rowe’s interactions with another individual, especially after he claimed to have recorded conversations under suspicion of infidelity. Rowe denied any wrongdoing.

Cooper expressed strong feelings of love and remorse, even crying about the situation. The relative described his emotional distress, saying, “He felt like she was sneaking around, and he didn’t like it.”

The couple first met in Jamaica, where they had their oldest daughter, now about 9 or 10, followed by a younger child. The family indicated that Cooper had considered starting a trucking business, inspired by his family’s background in Jamaica, but abandoned the plan due to Rowe’s opposition.

Friends and family expressed shock over the violence. A relative remarked, “We never thought it would be stabbing and killing.” They also noted the devastating impact on their children, stating, “They lost everything — not just a mother, but their father too.”