Jaia Cruz, a woman with a history of violent incidents involving knives, is now facing charges for the alleged murder of a postal worker in a Harlem deli. Law enforcement officials have disclosed that Cruz has been arrested on at least five separate occasions prior to this incident.
In July 2020, Cruz was detained for wielding an open box cutter at another person in Midtown West. She allegedly threatened to harm the individual and did not comply with police instructions to get on the ground, leading to her arrest for resisting arrest.
Just two weeks later, Cruz found herself in police custody once again. This time, she was implicated in a pre-dawn robbery. Cruz and an accomplice are said to have used knives to rob a man of his phone and wallet after he had invited them to spend time with him.
Cruz, who police have identified as a transgender woman, is now being charged with the murder of Ray Hodges, a USPS letter carrier. Hodges was on duty and had stopped at a deli on 168 Lenox Ave for lunch when the incident took place.
According to law enforcement sources, Hodges, 36, had cut the line directly in front of Cruz, which allegedly incited her. Cruz is accused of stabbing Hodges in the stomach. He was immediately transported to Harlem Hospital, but tragically, he did not survive his injuries.
This unfortunate incident has once again brought Cruz’s history of violent behavior to the forefront. The outcome of this case in court and the potential consequences Cruz will face for her actions remain to be seen.