Angel Landi
By Dan Murphy
36-year-old Angel Landi came to the United States 20 years ago from Ecuador. He lived in a boarding house in Peekskill and worked in construction. He also took care of his nephew after his sister died.
Angel was working in Manhattan on Nov. 18 when he was stabbed to death by 51-year-old Ramon Rivera. After killing Landi, Rivera went on to stab and kill two more innocent New Yorkers.
Some are wondering how Rivera was able to continue his killing after murdering Landi. Landi was killed on the West Side, near the Water Club, while working on a construction site at 820AM. He was waiting for a ride to work.
Rivera then walked across Manhattan to the East River, where he stabbed and killed Chang Wang, 67, who was fishing, at 1030AM.
Rivera then walked back to the East Side and stabbed Wilma-Augustin, 36, near the United Nations building. She was a Haitian immigrant staying at the Americana Inn with her 8-year-old son.
Rivera is charged with three counts of first-degree murder.
Landi’s family sat in the courtroom and waited for Rivera to be charged. Outside the courtroom, Vertha Landi, Angel’s sister, wanted justice for her family. “The city should take responsibility for the disaster we’ve been left with. He died working, and we want justice,”
“He was sick, this person killed my brother and then went and killed two other people. I hope the mayor doesn’t let him out, that he works together with other [officials] to keep him detained and not let him leave. “I need justice for my brother, I don’t want his death to be in vain,” said Vertha Landi.
“A hard-working man in construction was stabbed by a mentally ill person, and then we find out that he was freed eight times, so why did the system let this criminal walk out of the justice system?” said Walter Sinche with Ecuadorian International Alliance.
Rivera has a lengthy criminal history that includes burglary, assault, and other crimes in NY, New Jersey, Ohio, and Florida. He was recently released from jail in NY on October 17, arrested for Grand Larceny THAT day, and out on NYS No Cash Bail for stealing from a Manhattan store on Oct. 17.
Many are questioning why he was free to commit the three murders on Nov. 18. Rivera has been arrested eight times in New York City in the past year, including seven felonies and one misdemeanor.
“Angel Gustavo Lata-Landi. Say his name. And explain to his family how and why an unhoused, unhinged, and unrestrained mentally ill person with an extensive criminal record was allowed to roam freely,” said one New Yorker.
According to the NYPD, Rivera had been living at the Bellevue Men’s Shelter on East 30th Street. Rivera did not enter a plea through his legal aid attorney, pending a mental exam.
Rivera has also been charged with assaulting a corrections officer and sentenced to 90 days, in addition to the one-year prison sentence given for the burglary charges. He was released on 10/17 after serving two-thirds of his NYC sentence, which is SOP.
Angel Landi was known in Peekskill as a responsible and friendly person, who helped others in need.
