BRONX, NY – A man has been charged in the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend near City Island, leaving a community in shock and a family demanding justice. Franklin Butbias, 44, was escorted in handcuffs from the 45th Precinct, maintaining silence as he faced murder charges.
Authorities say the victim, 30-year-old Contreras Lanorris, sustained multiple stab wounds on Wednesday night near City Island Road. She was transported to Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital but succumbed to her injuries. Butbias, who also had a stab wound on his forearm, drove them both to the hospital but left shortly after.
Family members expressed skepticism over Butbias’s claim that the stabbing resulted from a mugging. They never believed his story, questioning why he would leave the hospital without notifying Lanorris’s family.
The couple had reportedly ended their relationship after living together in her Bronx apartment. Relatives allege that Butbias had been stalking Lanorris in the weeks leading up to the incident. Just days before her death, Lanorris returned from a vacation in the Dominican Republic. Her mother last spoke to her around 7 p.m. on the night of the incident when Lanorris mentioned going to dinner with Butbias.
Lanorris was remembered by her family as a kind and loving individual, deeply involved in her community as a nurse. Her cousin described her as a good friend, daughter, and family member, emphasizing the pain of their loss.
The family is now focused on ensuring that Lanorris is remembered for the positive impact she had on those around her. They are left heartbroken but determined to seek justice for her untimely death.