The widow of a man who died on a New York subway train has expressed her shock and concern for her ill mother-in-law after learning of her estranged husband’s horrifying fate.
Jorge Gonzalez, 37, reportedly died before his corpse was robbed by two different people and then allegedly sexually violated by one of the assailants.
In an interview with the New York Daily News, Teresa, 38, a Brooklyn resident, recounted her horror upon hearing about the details from investigators, particularly how her 13-year-old son overheard the grim conversation.
“I didn’t realize that’s what they were going to tell me – until it was too late,” Teresa said, adding that her son lamented, “Now I really don’t have a dad.”
Through the interview, Teresa sought to humanize a man whose body underwent a paraphilia that psychiatrists consider to be extremely rare and is illegal in most states, including New York.
Teresa shared her story of love and hardship, recounting her first meeting with Gonzalez in a small Mexican town where she celebrated her 15th birthday, her quinceañera.
After falling in love, they married when she was 24, following Gonzalez’s move to the United States in search of a better life.
Gonzalez worked various jobs in construction and restaurants and would often treat Teresa to meals consisting of steak, sushi, and tacos, which she cherished.
However, as their son was born around the time of their marriage, a downward spiral into alcoholism led to Gonzalez losing multiple jobs.
Teresa reflected on their troubled life, explaining that he eventually abandoned his wife and child, only contacting them occasionally.
Despite repeated attempts at rehabilitation, Gonzalez struggled to stay sober.
“That’s the biggest reason why he ended up in the situation where he was,” Teresa said of her husband’s addiction.
Investigators informed Teresa that Gonzalez died from cirrhosis of the liver due to years of alcoholism.
An initial autopsy failed to determine the exact cause of death, necessitating additional tests.
Reports indicate that a subway conductor discovered Gonzalez’s body on an idling train at the Whitehall Street stop in lower Manhattan around 12:30 AM on April 9.
Authorities determined that he had boarded the train more than four hours prior to its discovery.
The grim details of alleged abuse and theft of his belongings emerged only after reviewing surveillance footage from the train.
Footage revealed a man encountering Gonzalez’s corpse, recognizing him as dead, stealing personal items from his pockets, and then allegedly sexually violating the body.
According to police sources, the assailant, who was apparently a stranger to Gonzalez, left after more than an hour.
Shortly after, a woman stumbled upon the dead body and stole additional belongings before authorities were alerted.
Approximately 20 minutes later, the train conductor found Gonzalez’s body and contacted law enforcement.
Police have since released surveillance images of two suspects related to the case and are seeking public assistance in locating them.
One suspect is wanted for sexual misconduct with a deceased human body, while the other faces charges of grand larceny.
As of Tuesday evening, no arrests had been made.
“I was shocked – just shocked and more than anything scared for [Gonzalez’s] mom,” stated Teresa, reflecting on the distressing circumstances surrounding her late husband’s demise.
She expressed her deep concern for her mother-in-law, who suffers from advanced diabetes, noting that anything could worsen her health.
“I was scared more than anything for her,” Teresa concluded, capturing the emotional toll this tragedy has taken on her family.
image source from：https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/16/new-york-subway-train-man-corpse
