Tim Stanton is a handyman and the prime suspect in a series of rapes of Hispanic preteen and teenage girls in the New York projects. He's also the prime suspect in the murder of Nydia Hernandez and the rape-murder of her daughter Jacinda, which the family's son Carlos Hernandez was framed for.
History[]
In 2003, Stanton raped and strangled Jacinda Hernandez, killing her mother Nydia when she was a witness. Nydia's son, Carlos, and his gay lover Ricardo Torres were implicated in the crimes when already suspecting them of the series of rapes of teenage Latina girls Stanton was committing at the time. Falsely promised a deal by a corrupt detective and prosecutor, both wanting to nail the boys for the rapes in the area, and with the boys fearing being outed as gay would make them hate crime targets, Ricardo took a plea and sold out Carlos, resulting in their imprisonments. Ricardo was released in around 2018, but he was raped in prison and developed AIDS, dying from it a week after his release. Hernandez would be in jail until 2019, never taking a plea for his own safety.
Stanton used his job as a handyman to stalk girls around town to choke out and rape, always saying "Okay, chiquita, do it nice for papi" when attacking them. The DNA in the rape of Lupe Perez matched the Hernandez murders, so Carlos was interviewed and professed his innocence. Hearing his account, SVU realized he's innocent as well and went around the area for DNA samples. Stanton was the most "helpful" in trying to direct the investigation, except for offering a sample.
Nonetheless, a warrant for the sample was obtained, and the DNA was a match to the rapes and murders. Perez was brought in for a voice ID, which Stanton did reluctantly on the pretense of "another" suspect in the room, and even when he voiced is refusal, Perez identified him as the rapist. Stanton was arrested and charged, taking a plea deal on the murders, but not the rapes. Carlos was released thanks to Carisi using the prosecutor's senility against him to sign the papers.
Stanton was found guilty of first-degree rape and murder as well as wrongful incrimination and reckless endangerment of innocent suspects, being sentenced to prison for life. (SVU: "Murdered at a Bad Address")
Known Victims[]
- The Hernandez family murders:
- Nydia Hernandez (mother; strangled with an electrical cord)
- Jacinda Hernandez (daughter; raped and strangled with an electrical cord)
- Three unnamed girls (assaulted with an electrical cord and raped)
- Maria Negron (assaulted with an electrical cord and raped)
- Angela Lopez (assaulted with an electrical cord and raped)
- Lupe Perez (assaulted with an electrical cord and raped)