NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – A woman was arrested for stabbing a U.S. postal worker to death during an argument at a Harlem deli on Thursday afternoon, police said.
Jaia Cruz, 24, of Manhattan, was charged with second degree murder for stabbing Ray Hodges, 36, of the Bronx, more than a half-dozen times inside the deli at 168 Lenox Ave.
According to police, the confrontation started around 2:30 p.m. as an argument about who was next in line at the deli and ended with Cruz stabbing Hodges seven times inside of the business.
Hodges, who was on duty at the time, was transported by EMS to NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, where he was pronounced dead.
His postal cart was still sitting outside the deli as police investigated.
A witness pointed out Cruz somewhere in the vicinity of the deli, and she was arrested by police. A knife was recovered at the scene, police said.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service can confirm that on January 2, 2025, a United States Postal Service letter carrier, assigned to Manhattan, was the victim of a homicide,” the federal law enforcement arm of USPS told 1010 WINS.
“The Postal Inspection Service takes matters involving the safety and wellbeing of postal service employees as a top priority. We are working diligently with the New York City Police Department on this investigation,” the agency said. “If your viewers have information, please contact postal inspectors at 212-330-2400.”