Murderous Father Had a History of Violence

After a Bronx building super confessed to killing his 14-year-old daughter over the weekend, some are wondering why he had partial custody of his daughter after other previous violent incidents.

Miguel Matias allegedly upset that his daughter had been texting and/or instant-messaging a boy and strangled her before stuffing her into his building's boiler. Matias called his cousin Pablo Castillo and his sister Jessica Aquino to come to the apartment. Aquino thought her brother was joking about killing his daughter at first, but believed him after he called the police twice to come. When police arrived and asked where Ana was, Matias said, "That's your job, you go find her."

Friends of Ana Matias said she was scared of her father, but "they never thought he would kill her." Ana had lived with her mother in Pennsylvania. In 2003, Matias had apparently threatened his wife with a 12-inch knife while locking her in a bedroom; though he was initially charged with unlawful imprisonment, charges were dropped. Years ago, Matias had also tried to kill himself, Ana, and another son by dousing a car with gasoline (he was institutionalized afterwards).

Matias is in police custody; instead of being arraigned last night, he remains hospitalized after a suicide attempt.