Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) – An Albuquerque man is in jail without bond on an open count of murder following his arrest Monday afternoon for the stabbing death of a 22-year old woman who was his upstairs neighbor at a northeast apartment complex.
39-year old Michael Cain is charged with an open count of murder and tampering with evidence for the death of Esmeralda Romero who was stabbed multiple times outside the leasing office of the Encore Apartments on Eubank Blvd NE.
According to police, the stabbing was a result of complaints Cain had made against Romero over water spilling from her patio onto his patio.
Cain left the leasing office and got into a verbal altercation with Romero and returned to the leasing office to complain about the leak for a second time. The employee repeated that the issue would be handled. Cain walked outside and waited.
While Cain waited, Romero went to the office and complained to the employee about Cain. Romero explained that sometimes water drips from her dog’s bowl and Cain accuses her of purposely pouring water onto his patio. She said Cain had gone to her apartment and banged on the door, harassing her about the water. The employee said she told Romero she was trying to work things out between them, and recommended she call security or 911 if Cain threatened her.
According to police, the woman walked out of the office, the employee said she saw Cain run from the parking lot and attack Romero. She then noticed Cain was holding Romero as he stabbed her multiple times. The employee told police that Cain then took off on foot from the complex and called 911 where he told operators he had stabbed someone.
He was located by police and arrested near the apartment complex and a knife was located at that location as well.
