During the argument, Alberda put 58-year-old Cansino in a chokehold, placed duct tape over her mouth and tied her hands and legs together, according to the criminal complaint.

Cansino allegedly admitted to police that Thein’s body was wrapped in a sheet and placed into a closet behind a suitcase. Before leaving the apartment, the couple saw that Thein was still breathing, covered her up and left the apartment with bags, according to the criminal complaint.

Thein’s body was discovered on July 21, after concerned coworkers called the police to conduct a wellness check when she did not show up for work. When police arrived, they found her dead body still in the closet.

The city’s medical examiner has not determined Thein’s cause of death.

Cansino’s attorney Edwin Schulman requested that his client get medical attention and be on suicide watch. Schulman and a relative of Cansino declined to comment outside of court after the brief arraignment.

When the news of Thein’s death hit the Flatbush community, a neighbor told the Associated Press that she was a “very peaceful” and “good woman.”

Cansino and Alberda are both charged for second-degree murder and kidnapping.

Alberda, 21, was remanded without bail on Friday. 

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