Bronx Man Strangles Roommate to Death - Cops Say

Pelham Bay Residents Shocked by Strangling Death

Police have charged a Bronx man in the murder of his roommate. On Thursday, a rmuage removal truck was parked in front of the multi-family house where a tennant was murdered. - Photo by David Greene

By Dan Gesslein 

Bronx Voice

August 17, 2023 

BRONX - A Bronx man strangled his roomate to death during an argument inside their Pelham Bay apartment, cop said. 

Yesterday detectives from the 45th Precinct arrested 41-year-old Michael Rivera of Hobart Avenue. He was charged with murder and manslaughter in the August 3rd death of his roommate, 64-year-old Anthony Iannuzzo. 

The arrest comes after the medical examiner’s office determined Iannuzzo’s cause of death to be strangulation. 

At around 4 am on August 3rd cops responded to a 911 call for help at 1242 Hobart Avenue in the Pelham Bay section of the Bronx. Officers from the 45th Precinct arrived to find Iannuzzo lying face down in the living room. Cops said the 64 year old was unconscious and unresponsive. 

Responding EMS pronounced Iannuzzo dead at the scene. At the time officers found no obvious signs of trauma indicating possible foul play. Cops interviewed Rivera who, according to the Daily News, told them that he and the victim got into an argument. 

Almost two weeks later, the medical examiner determined that the cause of death was strangulation. The ME’s office determined that Iannuzzo’s death was the result of a homicide. 

Rivera is being held without bail and will make his first court appearance on Friday.  

It is unknown what was the cause of the argument that allegedly ended in a fatal confrontation. Police are not commenting motive or any other details at this time. 

Iannuzzo and Rivera lived in a multi-family building on Hobart Avenue. One of a handful multi-family buildings that sprouted up on a street of one-family houses with manicured lawns over the past decade.