A suspect with a history of violent crime has been charged with second-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of a postal worker in a New York City deli. Jaia Cruz, 24, allegedly stabbed 36-year-old letter carrier Ray Hodges during an argument over who was next in line at the Harlem deli.
According to authorities, Cruz has five previous arrests for crimes involving knives, including waving an open box cutter at someone in Midtown Manhattan in 2020. Cruz was also arrested for allegedly participating in a robbery using knives to steal a man’s wallet and phone.
Hodges was taken to Harlem Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is working with the NYPD on the investigation, stating that the safety and well-being of postal service employees is a top priority.
