Slidell police arrested an illegal Mexican immigrant Wednesday night on charges of attempted first-degree homicide and armed robbery after he allegedly slashed the throat of an 84-year-old woman during a robbery in her home.

The woman, who was not identified by police, survived the attack, and according to Police Chief Freddy Drennan, is, “doing very well,” at a local hospital after emergency surgery Wednesday night.

Drennan said police officers responded to a medical call in the 3100 block of College St., around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday where it was reported someone had their throat cut. When police and paramedics got there, they found the woman sitting on her couch, conscious, bleeding profusely from a slash across her neck.

“The cut was about 8 inches long,” said Capt. Kevin Swann of the Slidell Police Department.

Despite her life-threatening injury, the woman was able to tell police that she had been cut by a person who lived across the street from her. She said the suspect, Ricardo Tenorio-Palma, 20, 3116 College Street, had come into her home and cut her throat with a 3-inch long razor blade that is used in industrial scrapers, before he took $65 from her and fled the house.

What makes a tragic incident even worse is that the woman had tried to help Palma by hiring him to hang her Christmas lights and do odd jobs around the house. She had even donated some furniture to Palma and his three roommates who lived across the street.

“It just rips your heart out,” Drennan said, “and makes the crime even more heinous.”

The police were able to get a search warrant for Palma’s house, where they found bloody clothes, blood on the floor and the razor used in the attack. However, Palma was not in the house. Police fanned out across the area, and Detective Daniel Seuzeneau found Palma walking by the tennis courts on Cleveland Street around 9:30 Wednesday night, and Palma was arrested without incident.

Swann said the victim and her neighbors gave police a good description of the suspect, and he was easy to spot by the detective.

It turned out Palma did not speak any English and a bilingual Slidell police officer had to translate for the suspect. Drennan said that Palma confessed to the attack and robbery. He said he came into the house through the side door, which is left unlocked so the victim’s cat can go in and out. Even though, Palma has not said why he slashed the woman, Drennan said the motive was robbery. He told police that he wanted money to get something to eat.

Swann said that Palma acted fast.

“He slashed her first, before he robbed her. He intended to kill her,” Swann said.

After Palma left, Drennan said the victim pushed her Emergency Alert button, which called the security company. They in turn called the woman’s son-in-law, who tried to call the victim’s house, but got no answer. So he went over to her house, and after getting in and finding her, tried to call 911. However, the phone would not work, and he had to go next door and use a neighbor’s phone to call the police.

The elderly woman is being lauded for being tough and surviving the attack. Sgt. Sean Mclain, who interviewed the victim, said that the woman did punch and kick Palma during the attack. She also had a defensive wound of a cut on her hand, Mclain said.

He was really impressed with the way she reacted to the situation.

“She is a tough lady,” Mclain said. “It was incredible how in her condition she was able to talk.” He said he interviewed her Thursday morning, and her attitude was greatly im-proved.

Drennan said Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials confirmed that Palma was an “undocumented alien,” who has been living in the U.S. for the past nine months. The chief said Palmas and his roommates were living on College Street for the past three to five months. Drennan did not know the immigration status of the other three residents, but did say they all had jobs and were at work at the time of the robbery.

“He [Palma] acted alone,” Drennan said. He said Palma had been unemployed for the past several months, which is why he worked for the victim.

Palma was taken to St. Tammany Jail in Covington, where bond will be set.