On Sept. 4th, 2012, the body of Pamela Graddick was found wrapped in plastic between Rossmore Ave. and Midland Ave. near the Sprain Brook Parkway. Now, over a decade later, her former girlfriend Wanda Veguilla, has pleaded guilty to her murder.
Veguilla and Graddick shared an apartment on Morris Ave in the Bronx. She was reported missing after being absent two days from her work. Some weeks later, her body was discovered in a wooded area in East Yonkers with a gunshot wound to the back of her head. When Graddick’s body was initially discovered, Veguilla claimed innocence.
The confession
The investigation eventually landed in the cold case unit in 2014. While Veguilla was always a prime suspect, it took many more years to collect enough evidence for a charge. During an interview with detectives John Geiss and Vionette Martinez in January 2022, Veguilla admitted to shooting Graddick. She was then arrested for the Aug. 12th, 2012 killing. The Yonkers Police Department released a statement on the arrest of Veguilla where they praised the cold case detectives and offered condolences to the victim’s family.
I hope that these arrests bring some degree of closure to Pamela’s family and friends; and I applaud the extraordinary efforts of our Cold Case Detectives in closing out this case after so many years.
John Mueller – former YPD Commissioner
The accomplice(s)
While Veguilla admitted to shooting Graddick while she slept in their bed, she was not alone in the disposing of the body in Yonkers. John Torres was charged with Criminal Facilitation, Hindering Prosecution, and Tampering with Evidence in connection to Graddick’s death. Torres, a resident of Yonkers, also supplied the handgun to Veguilla. A third, yet unidentified person is also thought to have aided in the dumping of the victim’s body near the Sprain Brook Parkway.
Torres reached a plea deal with prosecutors to serve six months in Westchester County Jail. Veguilla’s sentencing is scheduled for June 15. However, Westchester County Judge George Fufidio stated that she will serve 18 years to life in state prison for the murder of Pamela Graddick.
