Woman Found Brutally Tortured and Left to Die in Bronx Apartment

A woman was discovered dead after suffering severe abuse inside a filthy Bronx apartment. Neighbors reported that the apartment was so dirty that even the building superintendent refused to enter. The victim, Princesa Encarnacio-Soto, 21, was found with bloodstains still visible on the mattress where she was kept captive.

Authorities believe Encarnacio-Soto was restrained on the bed, with evidence of inflicted wounds intended for pain rather than death—cuts on her thighs, arms, and shoulders, some recent and others healing. She was stabbed extensively and possibly beaten with a hammer before her body was dumped in a stairwell.

Responding to a 911 call, police found her barely alive in the stairwell and tracked a trail of blood leading into her apartment. Inside, police observed a scene of extreme squalor, with layers of grime and debris. The apartment had been cleaned in an attempt to erase evidence, as the victim was found in fresh clothing without blood, indicating her body was possibly moved after the attack.

The victim had moved into the apartment recently, on July 11, and was originally from Rhode Island. Her boyfriend, Robert Strother, 27, is considered a person of interest and was seen leaving the residence on security cameras. Neighbors, many knowing the long-term resident, identified her as Naida Jorge, 54, who has been detained for questioning but has not been charged.

Investigations include a 911 call from May, where Strother allegedly claimed Encarnacio-Soto was raped, but authorities confirmed he was incarcerated at the time, suggesting the call was an attempt to cover ongoing abuse. The police believe that the injuries seen on Encarnacio-Soto were inflicted to cause pain, and her death was the result of sustained violent assaults.