The police investigation surrounding the mysterious and tragic murder of a 23-year-old Astoria student continued a week after Carmen Saldaña-Mundo’s family and friends said their final goodbyes.
“If anyone in Queens in the area where this occurred, if they know of something please do not hesitate to communicate with the police,” said a distraught Carlos Saldaña, brother of the victim, who on several occasions had to be escorted out in tears of the Ortiz Funeral home in the Bronx on Thursday, July 16. “If you saw something or someone suspicious, anything because in reality there is nothing concrete. We still have no idea what happened.”
The body of Carmen Saldaña-Mundo, a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), was discovered by her mother on Sunday, July 12, in their apartment at 47-17 30th Avenue. Police dusted the doorway for fingerprints, and sources say that they found evidence of forced entry – the front door had been kicked open and the chain-lock broken. News reports indicate that nothing appeared to be missing from the apartment.
The victim lay face up in her mother’s bed, wrapped in a heavy comforter and completely nude, police sources said. The Medical Examiner confirmed that Saldaña died of asphyxiation by strangulation and the police ruled the death a homicide.
Since finding the woman, detectives at the 114th Precinct have tried to recreate the events that led to her death. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly confirmed on Tuesday, July 14 that based on videos from a building where the victim had attended a party the night before, “she left unaccompanied,” around 1:30 a.m.
“We are the most interested in learning what happened. We, the family, want to know who it was,” said Jaime Saldaña-Gomez, the victim’s uncle.
Detectives of the 114th at the funeral said that the family has been very cooperative. If you have any information that could help the police in this investigation, contact the Detective Squad at 114th Precinct at 718-626-9334.
