A 24-year-old transgender individual from New York has been charged with second-degree murder for the fatal stabbing of a United States mail carrier during his lunch break. The indictment was announced by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
The suspect, Jaia Cruz, who is 6 feet 4 inches tall and also goes by the name Alvin, is accused of initiating a confrontation with 36-year-old mail carrier Ray Hodge III while they were waiting to order lunch sandwiches on January 2.
Cruz reportedly brandished a knife and proceeded to stab Hodge multiple times in full view of shocked onlookers, including customers, postal workers, and restaurant staff at the establishment located on Lenox Avenue in Manhattan.
The NYPD has charged Jaia Cruz in the fatal stabbing of a USPS worker inside a Harlem deli. (Peter Gerber)
As the New York case moves forward, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Postal Service’s law enforcement arm, is asking anyone with additional information on the case to call investigators at 1-877-876-2455.
“This alleged broad-daylight stabbing shook the neighborhood, including the deli workers and customers who witnessed the attack,” Bragg said. “My thoughts are with those grieving the loss of Ray Hodge, a postal worker and beloved father of two.”
The NYPD has charged Jaia Cruz in the fatal stabbing of a USPS worker inside a Harlem deli. (Peter Gerber)
The family created a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral costs.
“Ray touched the lives of everyone he interacted with,” the fundraiser reads. “Ray was a hardworking, honorable and good man whose life epitomized his values and his willingness to help others. Ray touched the lives of so many, and we all are truly blessed to have known and had the opportunity to love him.”
