Haley Anderson, a nursing student at Binghamton University, was murdered by fellow student Orlando Tercero in March 2018. The case later extended internationally when Tercero fled to Nicaragua where he was eventually arrested, tried and convicted.
Growing Up With Energy and Curiosity
Haley Anderson was born on May 9, 1995, in Westbury, Long Island, to her parents Karen and Gordon. She also had a younger sister named Madeline.
People around her always said she was full of energy. She was the kind of kid who jumped into everything with excitement. Her mom said she had a “strong passion for learning” and it really showed.
Haley was a straight-A student, always on the honor roll and teachers loved her. Even though she was smart, she wasn’t the type to brag. She was just naturally curious, always wanting to know more.
While other teens might be out doing wild stuff, Haley preferred hanging out with friends, making pizza or filming little YouTube videos. Her mom said she was very self-sufficient and even though she leaned on people when she needed to, she was confident doing things on her own.
When Haley was 14, her parents divorced and that was hard for her. But she learned a lot from her mom during that time—especially independence. She admired her mom so much and her mom admired her right back. Karen always talked about Haley with so much pride and love.
Haley’s friends said she was “a millennial hippie,” free-spirited and carefree. She loved the show Friends and could quote every episode. People described her as happy, kind and someone who made friends super easily.
Haley’s College Dreams
Haley wanted to be a nurse. It made total sense because she loved people and helping others. In the summer of 2012, she toured colleges with her mom and fell in love with Binghamton University the moment she stepped on campus. She applied and got accepted, the CBS News reported.
Even though she didn’t start as a nursing major, she eventually applied to the Decker School of Nursing and got in during her junior year. She did really well in the program and later landed a great internship at Northwell Health. If everything went as planned, she would’ve gotten a job there after finishing her boards.
To graduate, Haley needed a fifth year but she didn’t mind. She loved college, had a job at the library café and was really thriving. She had close friends, fun routines and a social life that made her happy.
Among the people Haley spent time with at college was a guy named Kevin, also from Long Island. They clicked right away. Friends said they were similar—fun, kind and easygoing together.
Kevin let Haley be herself which was important because she didn’t want to feel tied down. She wanted to travel after graduation, maybe move to California, buy a “hippie van,” and become a travel nurse. She wanted the freedom to explore and she knew a committed relationship might hold her back.
So she and Kevin kept things on-and-off but they cared deeply for each other. Even when they weren’t officially together, they still talked.
When Orlando Enters the Picture
Then came Orlando Tercero. He was born in Miami but grew up in Nicaragua. He came back to the US for school and pursued nursing like Haley. His dad, who had passed away, had been a physician and Orlando wanted to follow in his footsteps.
Haley and Orlando met during their sophomore year in the nursing program but they didn’t get close until her senior year at a party Kevin was hosting. Haley introduced them and strangely, the three of them became pretty good friends afterward. Kevin even invited Orlando to join his fraternity because they both spoke Spanish.
But when Haley and Kevin were in one of their “off” phases, Orlando saw an opportunity to get closer to her. According to ABC News, Haley was open to meeting new people, so things between them became kind of romantic but they were never an official couple. It was more like a casual, on-and-off situation.
When the fraternity found out about Orlando and Haley spending time together, they kicked him out. Orlando told Haley he was upset and even threatened to hurt himself. Haley, being kind-hearted, felt bad and ended up spending more time with him because she didn’t want him to feel alone.
Red Flags Start Showing
Even though they spent time together, Orlando wanted more than Haley did. When she said she wanted to stay friends, he didn’t take it well.
He began showing up unannounced at her house, sitting on the porch smoking, wanting to know where she was, who she was with and when she’d be home. Her roommate Josie had to tell him to leave Haley alone many times.
Things escalated at a party on September 15, 2017, held at Orlando’s place. Orlando found out Haley was seeing Kevin again and confronted her loudly in front of everyone. Afterward, he tried to act normal but he was already drunk and ended up throwing up. Haley helped him get to bed.
Later, he texted her nonstop. And then, things got worse.
That same night, someone slashed all four of Haley’s tires. Kevin found her car the next afternoon. Haley posted a Snapchat video of the damage asking, “Literally, what is my life?” Orlando texted her pretending his tires were slashed too, trying to make himself look innocent. He even sent fake messages to his roommates acting surprised.
Haley told him she was going to file a police report. He told her it wasn’t a good idea — which made it obvious he was worried.
Her mom and friends encouraged her to file it anyway which she did. It could’ve been a felony since the damage was worth about $600 but Haley didn’t want to ruin his nursing career. She didn’t press charges.
Orlando eventually admitted what he’d done and paid her cash to replace the tires.
Even though Haley forgave him, the unhealthy behavior didn’t go away. Over the next six months, Orlando kept acting possessive, showing up places and worrying excessively about her spending time with others. Her roommates noticed that he wouldn’t let go of the idea of being with her.
The Night With Her Roommates
On the evening of March 7, 2018, Haley spent time with her roommates, enjoying their usual weekly routine of playing games and relaxing together. Everything appeared normal and the roommates eventually went to bed.
The next day, her friends didn’t hear from her but they didn’t worry at first because Haley liked to sleep in. But later, when she didn’t show up to a poetry reading for her roommate—something she would’ve never missed—alarm bells went off.
They checked the Find My Friends app and saw her location at Orlando’s house. At first they thought maybe she didn’t want them to know she was there. But the next morning, she still hadn’t responded.
Her friends walked to Orlando’s house, knocked and when no one answered, they climbed inside through a window. Inside, they found Haley unresponsive in his bedroom, per Wikipedia.
Police were called right away. They saw that Haley had bruising on her neck and signs of petechial hemorrhaging. Her friends told the officers about Orlando’s behavior, including the tire-slashing incident and his constant possessiveness. Officers quickly realized the seriousness of the situation.
Inside the house, investigators found a bookshelf out of place, four hooks screwed into a beam, a tie attached to the hooks, a chair pushed aside and drops of blood below. It looked like someone had tried to harm themselves but didn’t succeed.
A note written in Spanish said: “I’m really sorry about this. I never felt I could be capable of doing this. Father, I’ll see you soon. I’m sorry. This is stupid. I’m sorry.”
Orlando was nowhere to be found.
Orlando Flees
On the morning of March 9, Orlando’s sister had called campus police. She received strange texts from him saying he felt like a “failure” and that his car was left at JFK Airport.
When officers checked his house earlier that day, his car was gone but they didn’t yet know what happened. Once Haley’s body was found, everything connected. Investigators rushed to the airport but discovered Orlando had already boarded a flight—not to Miami but to Nicaragua.
Haley’s mother, Karen, learned the news on March 9 when officials came to her home. Although details were not initially explained fully, she immediately realized that her daughter had died.
The last time she talked to Haley was March 6. Haley had been excited that she was getting $400 back from taxes. Karen had also met Orlando once at a Super Bowl party, never imagining this would happen.
Karen later said she wished she had pushed Haley to press charges back when he slashed her tires but she also said no one could have guessed things would go so far.
Finding Out What Happened
Binghamton University shut down classes for a day, counselors were available for students and the campus came together to support each other. Haley had touched a lot of people’s lives and losing her hit everyone hard.
Her closest friends said they felt numb when they found out. They couldn’t fully process what happened at first but they knew who was responsible.
An autopsy on March 10 confirmed that Haley died from manual strangulation and her death was ruled a homicide.
Security camera footage from outside Orlando’s house helped fill in the timeline. Around 2:30 a.m. on March 8, he left alone, came back with Haley and they went inside together.
Haley never left. Orlando was seen coming and going, then buying ZzzQuil and melatonin at CVS, returning and later going to his basement door which investigators believed was when he got the hooks.
At 8:22 p.m. that night, he packed suitcases in his car and left for the last time. Airport footage showed him with a bandaged head, confirming he had injured himself.
In Nicaragua, he was picked up by his mom and taken for medical treatment. On March 13, Nicaraguan authorities arrested him.
Even though the US and Nicaragua have an extradition treaty from 1907, neither side is forced to extradite someone.
Authorities hoped Nicaragua would send him back but in August 2019, Karen received the news that Orlando would not be extradited. Instead, he would be tried in Nicaragua for femicide, defined as the killing of a woman because of her gender.
His sentence there could be 30 years with no parole.
Trial in Nicaragua
The trial began on October 1, 2019, and US officials and witnesses were allowed to testify by teleconference.
Seventeen witnesses testified for the prosecution, including Haley’s family, her friends and investigators. Kevin testified about the tire-slashing incident. The medical examiner said he believed Haley might have been sleeping when the attack began, per Press Connects.
The Nicaraguan prosecutor argued that Orlando acted out of jealousy. The defense argued that Orlando was “temporarily insane” because of alcohol. A psychiatrist claimed Orlando didn’t remember the night but he couldn’t prove anything.
In Nicaragua, a judge decides the verdict—not a jury. After hearing everything, the judge allowed Karen to speak. Karen described Haley as her best friend and shared how hard it was to watch Orlando show little emotion.
Verdict and Sentence
After a short recess, the judge returned with a guilty verdict. She said Orlando acted out of jealousy and could not accept Haley having control over her own life.
Karen told him afterward: “Because clearly you will do this again if you do not. I hope that the demons that are inside you that have enabled you to commit such a heinous crime are able to get fixed.”
Two weeks later, Orlando received the maximum sentence of 30 years in a Nicaraguan prison.
Orlando’s family didn’t believe he was responsible but investigators pointed to the simple fact that two people entered the house and only one walked out. In 2020, Orlando filed an appeal but a panel rejected it.
His attorney argued that he was wrongfully convicted and that the sentence was too severe but officials firmly disagreed.
The US still has a warrant for him. If he ever returns to the US, he could face second-degree murder charges. Whether that happens will depend on what Haley’s family wants when he is eventually released.
Haley’s Memory
Haley’s family and friends remember her for her joy, kindness, humor and free-spirited nature. She wanted to help people, travel and live life openly. During the Decker School graduation, her dad accepted her diploma for her and a chair was left open for her among the graduates.
Karen is now pushing for the femicide charge to be recognized in the US. She also encourages people to take red flags seriously and trust their instincts when something feels wrong.
Haley’s friends hope she inspires others to speak up and get help when situations feel unsafe. One friend volunteers with RAINN, hoping to help others so that “she can save at least one person from a situation like Haley’s.”
Haley is remembered as a “beacon of joy,” someone who made everyone feel welcome and loved.
