A fatal stabbing incident inside a deli in Harlem, New York City, claimed the life of a United States Postal Service letter carrier on the afternoon of Thursday, January 2, 2025. The incident, which reportedly began over a dispute about the order of customers in line, was the third homicide in the city within the first two days of the new year.
The victim, identified as 36-year-old Ray Hodges, was an on-duty postal worker from Manhattan’s Harlem district. According to police officials, he was ordering a sandwich at Joe’s Grocery, 168 Lenox Avenue, around 2:40 p.m. when he got involved in an argument with another customer.
Janet Rich, a witness at the scene, was buying coffee when the dispute started. She reported that a woman accused Hodges of skipping the line, leading to a heated verbal altercation over the order to buy a sandwich. Despite Rich and another customer’s attempts to mediate the situation, both parties refused to back down.
Another female customer advised the postal worker to avoid the confrontation, citing his well-paying job as a reason to keep calm. However, Hodges removed his coat, seemingly preparing to confront the woman. Rich tried to de-escalate the situation by putting his coat back on him.
The woman, described as exceptionally tall — around 6 feet 5 inches — seemed to be under the influence of drugs, showing symptoms such as foaming at the mouth, according to Rich’s account.
Despite the intervention attempts of other customers and deli employees, the argument turned violent. The woman, later identified as 24-year-old Jaia Cruz, brandished a small steak knife and reportedly stabbed Hodges three times. Law enforcement sources said Cruz stabbed Hodges several times in the stomach, leaving a bloody scene at the deli.
Emergency medical services immediately transported Hodges to Harlem Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Cruz was arrested at the scene, and the police retrieved the knife used in the attack. She is currently facing second-degree murder charges at the 28th Precinct.
Addressing the incident, a spokesperson for the postal agency confirmed that a USPS letter carrier assigned to Manhattan was the victim of a homicide on January 2, 2025. They emphasized the agency’s commitment to the safety and well-being of postal service employees.
Dr. Iesha Sekou, founder and CEO of Street Corner Resources, an organization against violence, spent several hours at the hospital comforting Hodges’ family. She shared her concern about the increased number of violent incidents and the resulting atmosphere of fear and lower morale in the community, especially during the holiday season.
This incident marked the third homicide in the first 48 hours of 2025 in the city. The first incident occurred on Wednesday around 4:20 a.m. at West 137th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard in Harlem. A 50-year-old man was found with fatal neck injuries. Barely an hour later, Mario Fowler, 46, was shot dead in front of an apartment building on East 170th Street near Clay Avenue in the Claremont Village section of the Bronx.
The United States Postal Inspection Service is cooperating with the New York City Police Department in the ongoing investigation. A deli employee, who requested anonymity due to the ongoing investigation, confirmed that security camera footage has been handed over to the law enforcement officials.