Family of BofA VP Erin Piacenti, stabbed in Times Square on first day back from maternity leave, speaks out

Erin Piacenti, 32, was fatally stabbed near Times Square on her first day back from maternity leave. Her family said she was "preparing to build a life" with her husband and 5-month-old daughter.

Family mourns Bank of America VP stabbed to death near Times Square

The family of Erin Piacenti, the 32-year-old Bank of America vice president fatally stabbed near Times Square on her first day back from maternity leave, released a statement Wednesday describing her as a devoted mother, partner, and professional whose life was cut short without warning.

"Becoming a mother was Erin's lifelong ambition, and Madison gave her the greatest possible joy," reads a GoFundMe page the family directed wellwishers to, aimed at securing the future of Piacenti's 5-month-old daughter. "Erin's life was defined not by the circumstances of her death, but instead by the way she lived."

NY Post Metro reports that Piacenti was unprovoked stabbed Monday by Pamela Cisneros, 49, a Queens mother of three with a long history of mental illness. Cisneros also seriously wounded Tak Kam, 68, a Rhode Island man who was nearby at the time. Officers shot and killed Cisneros after she attempted to charge them while holding a knife in each hand.

"An incredibly loving mother"

The family statement, shared via the fundraiser, described Piacenti as "exceptionally bright and accomplished" and someone who "brought warmth and energy to the people around her." Her relatives called her "a thoughtful daughter and sister, a loyal friend, a devoted partner and companion in every aspect of Frank's life, and, most recently, an incredibly loving mother to Madison."

Piacenti — born Erin Guiltinan — met her husband Frank Piacenti while both attended Fordham University School of Law. The two married on Aug. 10, 2024, and had recently returned from a family road trip. She also held a degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

"Erin and Frank celebrated their second wedding anniversary this summer, had just returned from a family road trip upon her passing, and were preparing to build a life together with their new daughter," the GoFundMe states. "That life changed incomprehensibly in an instant."

Property records show the couple purchased a four-bedroom, five-bathroom home in Chester, New Jersey, in September 2025. An employee at Paintpourri, a paint and window treatment store in town, said Piacenti had visited with her husband to pick out paint for the new house.

"She was here with her husband for paint for their new house," said Carla, a 20-year Chester resident who works at the shop. "So sad. They were married two years ago. The baby." She added of Cisneros: "The system failed them. That woman should have been committed."

Grief at Bank of America

Piacenti had worked at Bank of America for roughly 18 months as a vice president on the business-selection-and-conflicts team. Colleagues at the bank's offices near Bryant Park expressed shock and sorrow Wednesday.

"She was a beautiful young lady, very sharp," said one woman who worked on Piacenti's floor. "It's very sad, very sad, we are grieving. We all have our heads down — everybody."

Another employee said coworkers were discussing the need to "stay alert at all times," adding: "You can feel the heaviness in the air."

Residents in Chester react

The attack also reverberated in Chester, the New Jersey suburb where Piacenti and her husband had built their life together. Amy M., 37, a pilates instructor who relocated from the Upper West Side during the COVID-19 pandemic, said she found the news deeply unsettling.

"My husband walks through Times Square twice a day. It could have easily been him," she said outside Chester Bagel & Deli. "It's terrifying. You get used to crazy people yelling on the street. You tense up and walk a little faster, but you kind of get used to it."

Beth, 71, a local business owner who grew up in nearby Morristown, called the attacks "terrible." "It's a nightmare," she said. "It seems like every day someone's getting shot or stabbed in Times Square now."

Fundraiser surpasses $180,000

The GoFundMe campaign for Madison Piacenti's future had raised more than $180,000 of its $250,000 goal as of Wednesday evening. The family asked the public for privacy as they grieve, according to the statement.

Source: NY Post Metro