Logo

The teenage Burger King cashier fatally gunned down during a late-night robbery at her Harlem eatery was remembered at her wake Tuesday as a “genuine soul.”

Kristal Bayron-Nieves, 19, was senselessly shot and killed Jan. 9 during a botched robbery, just weeks after she took the job to buy a car and help her mom pay the bills.

“We’re devastated,” her cousin, Melissa Quiles, told The Post.

“She didn’t deserve this at all,” Quiles said. “We just want justice.”

The slain teen’s friend, 16-year-old Nairelys Figueroa, said Bayron-Nieves was a hard worker — but also happy-go-lucky.

“She was a very happy, genuine soul,” Figueroa said. “She was always happy and wanted to change for the better. … She wanted to travel the world.”


  Family and friends of Kristal Bayron-Nieves mourned her murder during a botched robbery and remembered her as a gentle soul, a hard worker and a happy girl. Gregory P. Mango Family and friends of Kristal Bayron-Nieves mourned her murder during a botched robbery and remembered her as a gentle soul, a hard worker and a happy girl. Gregory P. Mango

Bayron-Nieves was just three weeks into the nightshift at the fast-food eatery when police said Winston Glynn, a 30-year-old former employee at the restaurant, stormed in around 1 a.m., demanded money and shot the teen before fleeing.

Cops said there were just $100 in the cash register.


  Bayron-Nieves had only been working at the Burger King for three weeks at the time of her murder, and she took the job to buy a car and help her mother. Gregory P. Mango Bayron-Nieves had only been working at the Burger King for three weeks at the time of her murder, and she took the job to buy a car and help her mother. Gregory P. Mango

The teen’s mom said her daughter, worried about safety in the neighborhood at night, had sought to switch to an earlier shift.

“She was saving to buy a car that Friday,” family friend Natalie Pagan said of the victim, who was killed days before she could purchase the vehicle. “But longer term, she was saving money for school.”


  Police said Bayron-Nieves handed Glynn all the money that was in the register when he demanded it, but he still fatally shot the teen.
 Police said Bayron-Nieves handed Glynn all the money that was in the register when he demanded it, but he still fatally shot the teen.

Bayron-Nieves’ body will be flown to her native Puerto Rico on Thursday for a funeral scheduled for Friday, her family said. She will be buried Saturday.

Jet Blue will transport the body and relatives at no expense.

A gofundme.com page has so far raised nearly $43,000 for the family.

Comments
anonymous profile image
Powered by RoundtableBuilt on infrastructure designed for real-time media. Learn more at RTB.io.© Roundtable 2026. By using this site you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy