The father of Junior Guzman-Feliz—the 15-year-old New York boy whose mistaken-identity murder was caught on tape—reportedly screamed and cursed at one of his son’s accused killers during a Thursday court hearing which included testimony of what transpired after the teen’s stabbing death.
According to WPIX, Lisandro Guzman told Jonaiki Martinez Estrella, 24, that he’s a “f**king piece of s**t” and that he’s “stupid.” The grieving father’s comments came after an NYPD detective recounted comments an unidentified witness made about the June 20 slaying.
The witness claimed to have been in a getaway car with Estrella and Jose Muniz, 21. According to the detective, the witness said they heard Jonaiki say he stabbed Guzman-Feliz in the neck. The news station reported that the neck wound is what killed the teen before he could make it to the hospital.
“As he was holding the machete,” the witness reportedly said of Muniz, “He said, ‘You see this? If you tell anyone what happened, you know what will happen to you.’”
Surveillance cameras captured a group of men dragging Guzman-Feliz outside a Bronx bodega before attacking him. The injured teen could be seen stumbling inside the bodega before exiting and making a run for the hospital. The teen reportedly took his last breaths mere steps away from the emergency room.
The witness reportedly went to police on June 23, three days after the murder and a day after six suspected gang members were arrested in connection with the slaying. The detective testified that the witness confirmed they were also a gang member who’d hung out with some of the suspects on the day of Guzman-Feliz’s murder.
WPIX reported that a gag order is in place for prosecutors, defense attorneys, and family members linked to the high-profile case. Cameras were also barred from the courtroom.
Despite this, a source told the news station that some of the suspects facing first-degree murder charges are angling for a plea deal to spare them from life in prison. While the source said one of the five accused stabbers is pushing for a 20-year sentence, the slain boy’s parents will have the final say regarding plea bargains.
In addition to Estrella, the following 13 men—all suspected members of the Trinitarios gang—have been arrested in connection with the June 20 murder:
- Manuel Rivera, 18;
- Luis A. Cabrarasantos, 25;
- Frederick Then, 20;
- Danilo Payamps Pacheco, 21;
- Danel Fernandez, 21;
- Jose Muniz, 21;
- Ronald Urena, 29;
- Santiago Rodriguez, 24;
- Kevin Alvarez, 19;
- Elvin Garcia, 23;
- Jose Taverez, 21;
- Diego Suero, 29;
- and Gabriel Ramirez Concepcion, 26
Additional reading:
Justice for Junior: Teen’s accused killer has face slashed in prison gang fight, officials say
Justice for Junior: Police arrest 14th suspect in teen’s mistaken identity stabbing death
Bronx street to be renamed after slain teen Lesandro ‘Junior’ Guzman-Feliz
Justice for Junior: Bodega where innocent teen was stabbed to death will reopen
Justice for Junior: Gang rivalry—not sex tape—leads to teen’s machete attack murder, officials say
Violent murder caught on video: Teen fatally stabbed in brutal machete attack
[Featured image: Lesandro Guzman-Feliz/Facebook;Surveillance screenshot]