New York Woman's Decomposed Body Found In Boyfriend's Apartment, Accused Charged With Murder

A Bronx, New York, man, who was previously arrested for allegedly kicking, biting, and punching the mother of his child, was charged with the murder of his girlfriend nearly a month after her decomposed body was found in his apartment.

The man, identified as 30-year-old Anthony Portis, was charged with murder on Thursday (May 7) after his girlfriend’s decomposed body was found in an apartment at E. 187th St. near Belmont Avenue in Belmont.

On April 11, Portis was arrested based on a domestic violence incident reported by the mother of his child, a 25-year-old woman whose identity was not revealed, after she suffered serious injuries to her face and a broken nose. She reported to the police that Portis had kicked, bit and, punched her.

The officers on the same day, responding to the domestic violence incident, reached the apartment to question the woman. But they failed to locate the unnamed woman and her child, hence enquired about her with the neighbors.

According to the neighbors, the woman and the child had moved out of the house weeks before to avoid Portis.

Meanwhile, the officers noticed a foul smell emanating from inside of the apartment. Upon suspicion, the officers gained entry into the apartment and found a decomposed body rotting inside.

The victim was later identified as 22-year-old Dominique Ben-David. The neighbors told the police that Portis was sharing the apartment with Ben-David along with the attacked woman and their child from about six months.

The body was sent for an autopsy but it was so badly decomposed that the medical examiner could not immediately determine the cause of death. On April 24, Ben-David’s death was deemed as a homicide.

On Thursday, when Portis was charged for the murder of Ben-David, he was already in custody at the Manhattan Detention Complex in connection with the domestic violence incident for which he was denied bail because he failed to show up in court.

He was previously convicted for a robbery in which Ben-David was his accomplice. The victim of the robbery was Ben-David’s mother.

According to court records, Ben-David was due back in court on June 25 for the same robbery and burglary charges.

Portis is now facing additional charges of murder, manslaughter, and criminal possession of a weapon. As of Thursday his arraignment on the new charges was pending in the Bronx Criminal Court.