New York woman sentenced for murder — you’ll rethink parking your car when you hear the motive

A Bay Shore, New York woman has been sentenced in Suffolk County to life in prison without the possibility of parole after being convicted of orchestrating a deadly 2022 attack over a parking dispute, prosecutors said.

On April 28, Kayla Alvarenga, 23, received the sentence following her conviction on charges including first-degree murder, kidnapping, robbery, and conspiracy in the killing of 29-year-old Linver Ortiz Ponce, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.

Authorities say the case began late on the night of September 16, 2022, when Ortiz Ponce parked his red Chevrolet Camaro on a residential street in front of Alvarenga’s home in Bay Shore.

According to investigators, Alvarenga became angry and demanded that Ortiz Ponce move his car. When he refused, she contacted several associates, including Christopher Perdomo, and directed them to come to the location.

Prosecutors said the group forcibly removed Ortiz Ponce from his vehicle, assaulted him, and stole his car. He was able to flee briefly and sought safety at a nearby gas station, but authorities say the group tracked him down again.

Ortiz Ponce fled

Prosecutors emphasized that after Ortiz Ponce escaped the initial assault and fled to a gas station, Alvarenga didn’t just let him go. She organized a two-car “search party.” She drove the victim’s own stolen Camaro while her accomplices followed in a stolen BMW to hunt him down

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney described the crime as senseless, noting that the victim and defendants were strangers and that the violence stemmed from what he characterized as a trivial dispute. In a statement, Tierney said, “A man is dead because he parked in front of the wrong house.”

Evidence presented at trial included surveillance footage and testimony tying Alvarenga to directing the actions of the group, including the final moments of the crime. Prosecutors argued she played a central leadership role throughout the incident.

Co-defendants’ fate still uncertain

The case involved multiple co-defendants, and their legal proceedings have continued alongside Alvarenga’s prosecution. Christopher Perdomo, 28, has pleaded guilty in connection with the killing and is expected to be sentenced in mid-May, with reports indicating he could face a lengthy prison term under a plea agreement.

Five teenage accomplices have also pleaded guilty to charges related to the case, according to prosecutors, though their sentencing outcomes have not all been publicly detailed.

Prosecutors repeatedly highlighted that the victim had no prior connection to those involved and had simply stopped in the area.

Alvarenga did not address the court at sentencing, according to reports, and the judge cited the severity of the crime in imposing the maximum penalty. The case has drawn widespread attention in New York and beyond, in part because of its motive. What began as a dispute over a parked car ultimately led to a coordinated attack involving multiple individuals and a fatal outcome, leaving a lasting impact on the victim’s family and the community.