Florida Man Accused of Stabbing Woman to Death Over Cleaning Dispute, Forcing Boyfriend to Help Dispose of Body

A Florida man has been accused of fatally stabbing Hiojaira Velez Bonilla over an argument about cleaning, before forcing her boyfriend to dress up in her wig to bury her body

A Florida man has been charged with brutally stabbing a mother-of-two to death during a heated argument about cleaning and household responsibilities before forcing her boyfriend to help cover up the crime.

Authorities say Arnaldo Cintron, 42, fatally stabbed Hiojaira “Joy” Velez Bonilla, 42, in her Riverview home near Tampa on August 15, following a late-night quarrel about bills and chores. Cintron, who often stayed at the house, allegedly attacked Bonilla in the kitchen while yelling insults, stabbing her multiple times in the upper torso.

Bonilla’s boyfriend, Elga Davis II, was in the living room at the time and walked in during the attack. According to the arrest affidavit, Cintron, still armed with the knife, threatened Davis with death—along with harm to his family and Bonilla’s teenage sons—if he refused to help cover up the killing or spoke to authorities.

Arnaldo Cintron has been charged with killing the mother of two on August 15

Deputies said Cintron was assisted by Giselle Santiago Bonilla, 37, the victim’s cousin and Cintron’s girlfriend. Both have been arrested and charged, with Santiago Bonilla accused of helping clean the crime scene and dispose of the body.

Investigators said Cintron forced Davis to place Bonilla’s body in a cardboard box, load it into her Nissan Rogue, and clean up the blood using bleach and wipes. Court documents allege Santiago Bonilla actively participated, telling Davis that Cintron “did this for him” because Bonilla was “evil” and “deserved it.”

When Bonilla’s 16-year-old son emerged during the aftermath and asked about his mother, Cintron allegedly told him she had left to be with another man, dismissing the blood cleanup as “a spilled drink.”

Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said they arrested Cintron, along with the victim's own cousin, Giselle Santiago Bonilla

The accused killer then allegedly ordered Davis to disguise himself in one of Bonilla’s dresses and wigs before helping transport her body. At 7:30 a.m., Davis—under threat—drove the Nissan with Bonilla’s remains and cleaning materials inside, while Santiago Bonilla followed in another car. They first stopped at a friend’s home, where Cintron discussed disposal plans. Santiago allegedly suggested removing Bonilla’s teeth and hands to hinder identification.

Ultimately, Davis was forced to drive to Weedon Island Preserve in Tampa Bay, where Bonilla’s body was hidden beneath mangrove trees. Cintron later demanded her debit card PIN and withdrew more than $30,000, though Davis refused a share of the stolen funds.

The affidavit noted that Davis lived in “constant fear” for his life, as well as the safety of Bonilla’s teenage sons and his own family, throughout the ordeal. Eventually, Davis went to the sheriff’s office in Brandon and showed investigators the location of Bonilla’s body.

The horror unfolded during the early hours of August 15, in the home on Maybrook Avenue where Velez Bonilla was living with her cousin and two teenage sons

Bonilla’s family has described her death as a “heartbreaking tragedy.” A fundraising page in her memory said she was a “devoted mother, daughter, sister, and friend whose life was stolen far too soon,” leaving behind two teenage sons, ages 17 and 16, now struggling with the devastating loss of their mother.

Cintron is being held without bond at the Falkenberg Road Jail in Hillsborough County. Santiago Bonilla remains in custody with bond set at $200,000.