New York City family celebrates high school graduation of teen, 18, a year after he was stabbed and set on fire by his ex-girlfriend's 22-year-old brother Winston Ortiz Jr. was stabbed and set on fire in the stairwell an apartment building in The Bronx on August 12, 2020 Joan Tamarez, her husband, Winston Ortiz Sr., and their two children attended what would have been the graduation of their oldest son on Tuesday The family accepted a cap and gown along with a plaque from Metropolitan Lighthouse Charter School The teen, 18, was attacked by Adones Betances, the 22-year-old brother of his 14-year-old ex-girlfriend Betances was apprehended the day after the attack and charged with murder and manslaughter He is scheduled to be in court again later this month By Adry Torres For Dailymail.com Published: 23:11 BST, 8 July 2021 | Updated: 23:11 BST, 8 July 2021 Viewcomments A heartbroken New York City couple accepted their late teen son's cap and gown from the school he was supposed to graduate from almost a year after he was murdered by his ex-girlfriend's older brother. Winston Ortiz Jr, 18, was stabbed to death and set alight by his 14-year-old girlfriend's older brother in the stairwell of a building in August 2020. Joan Tamarez, her husband Winston Ortiz Sr., and their two youngest boys took part in the ceremony held by Metropolitan Lighthouse Charter School on June 22, PIX11 reported. The family also received a memorial plaque in honor of Winston Ortiz Jr., who dreams of being an engineer were cut short. Winston Ortiz Jr. was honored at what would have been his high school graduation June 22. He was only 18 years old when he was stabbed three times and set on fire on August 12, 2020 in a Bronx building by Adones Betances, the 22-year-old brother of a 14-year-old he had met at his family church. The girl had informed Ortiz Jr., who was just 17 at the time they met, that she was no longer interested in him. Ortiz Jr. was set to graduate from Metropolitan Lighthouse Charter School in The Bronx this summer and had dreams of being an engineer. The school honored him by presenting his parents and two surviving younger brothers a cap and gown as well as plaque Metropolitan Lighthouse Charter School honored Winston Ortiz Jr. with a plaque during the high school graduation ceremony June 22 'I cried the whole day. We had so many plans for him, when he finished high school,' Tamarez told the television station. Wilmer Ortiz, the middle child, accepted his brother's cap. 'Walking there, I felt like I was walking in place of him,' he said. 'He was, like, walking next to me.' According to Tamarez, Winston Jr. was just 17 years old at the time he met the younger girl at Siloe Pentecostal Church. But within days he first born's heart was crushed because the teen girl was no longer interested in him. Wilmer Ortiz, who is now in college, recalled how Ortiz Jr. broke down in tears at the family apartment two days before the deadly incident. Adones Betances is facing murder and manslaughter charges over the August 12, 2020 killing of Winston Ortiz Jr. Joan Tamarez with her two surviving sons, Wilkin Ortiz and Wilmer Ortiz, and her husband, Winston Ortiz Sr. (pictured from left to right) Wilmer Ortiz told WPIX 11 that he 'felt like I was walking in place of him' upon receiving his late brother's cap during a high school graduation ceremony June 22 Winston Ortiz Jr., who had recovered from a brain aneurism, stayed home on the day of the incident while the rest of family went traveled to New Jersey and Manhattan to run errands. Authorities said he was involved in an argument with Adones Betances in the fifth-floor hallway of a building near West 165th Street and Woodycrest Avenue in The Bronx neighborhood of Highbridge. Police have revealed that the suspect entered the building just before Ortiz Jr. did and then carried out the brazen attack. Ortiz Jr. was stabbed three times before Betances set him on fire. Tenants heard his cry for help and poured water on him prior to the arrival the EMTs. A woman who saw Ortiz ablaze and poured water over him told the New York Post that it had shaken her up. 'I stepped outside. I saw flames,' said the 34-year-old woman, who did not want give her name. 'I thought her apartment was on fire. And when I go over there, I saw a guy in flames all over his body. I got very scared because I have my girls here,' she said. 'It's really concerning.' Betances, who was charged with murder and manslaughter, is due back in court later this month. Read more: Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility