The death of a sickly Bronx woman burned to death during a Santeria ritual has been declared a homicide by the Medical Examiner, authorities said Tuesday.
Minerva Perez, 41 and stricken by cancer and the HIV virus, was hoping to cleanse the life-threatening illness from her body when she went to see her friend, Mildred Sanchez, 62, on Feb. 24.
Together, police said, they tried to perform a cleansing ritual, but Perez's body caught fire when the key ingredient in the ritual, "Florida water," a perfumed liquid was mixed with candles and flowers.
Perez, who also suffered from asthma, suffered burns one 33 percent of her body. She was pronounced dead at the apartment. Sanchez was treated for burns to her hands and was questioned by police.
On Monday, Perez' death was classified a homicide, which in the strictest sense means her death was caused by someone else.
Sources Tuesday said it is appears unlikely Sanchez was trying to kill Perez. The Bronx district attorney's office said it is still investigating the case and had not yet determined if any charges will be filed.