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Family of USPS worker fatally stabbed in NYC deli line speaks out: 'We are extremely hurt'

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Published  January 9, 2025 9:21am EST
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 5 NY

Postal worker stabbed to death in Harlem

A postal worker is dead after being stabbed to death while on the job. FOX 5 NY's Kendall Green has the latest from Harlem.

The Brief

    • Ray Hodge III, a 36-year-old postal carrier and father of two, was fatally stabbed while waiting in line at a Harlem deli, allegedly over a dispute about his place in line.
    • The family describes Hodge as a hardworking, honorable man who touched many lives.
    • The suspect, Jaia Cruz, has been charged with second-degree murder and has a history of knife-related offenses; his arraignment is set for Jan. 22.

NEW YORK - Ray Hodge III, a 36-year-old postal carrier and father of two, was stabbed in the stomach while he was waiting in line to buy lunch last week. 

Hodges' family spoke out for the first time this week regarding the incident. 

"We are extremely hurt and saddened by the loss of my brother," his brother Ed Rice told Fox News Digital Wednesday. 

"He was a remarkable person and touched a lot of people in a positive manner. We have been silent in our grieving and are handling my brother’s affairs," Rice added. 

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched in honor of Hodge to assist the family with funeral expenses.

Family and friends describe Hodges as 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," the fundraiser reads, 

Jaia Cruz, 25, was charged with murder in the second degree in the death of Hodges.

What happened in the deli stabbing?

Community reacts to NYC postal worker stabbed to death deli line

Police say the stabbing followed an altercation over a spot in line. A knife was recovered at the scene, they said. FOX 5 NY's Michelle Ross has the latest.

According to the NYPD, the attack happened around 2:30 p.m., a day after New Year's inside Joe's Grocery on Malcolm X Blvd. and W 118th St.

Cruz allegedly spit in Hodge's face before stabbing him in the stomach in a fight that broke out over their place in line, according to the New York Post.

Hodges, an on-duty postal worker, was found with stab wounds to the body and rushed to Harlem Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

Police say the stabbing followed an altercation over a spot in line. A knife was recovered at the scene, they said.

Neighbors told FOX 5 NY that they ran into Hodges all the time on his daily route and are in complete disbelief that this happened.

What happens next?

The suspect, Cruz, has a criminal record that includes prior acts of knife violence, including a mugging.

Cruz's attorney waived his client's right to appear Wednesday, and arraignment was scheduled for Jan. 22.

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.

Source

  • This article uses reporting from FOX News. 

Crime and Public Safety