Police reportedly have described NYC deli stabbing suspect as transgender

Police have described the suspect in the fatal stabbing of a postal worker in Harlem as transgender, according to a New York Post story published Friday afternoon.

“The repeat offender — who has been described by cops as a transgendered woman — now faces murder charges for the brutal knifing of Ray Hodges, an on-duty USPS letter carrier who was grabbing lunch at the deli at 168 Lenox Ave,” the Post’s story says.

WABC said police found Hodges stabbed or slashed multiple times — including in the torso, arms, back, and neck — inside the establishment.

In addition, the stabbing suspect — 24-year-old Jaia Cruz — was arrested at least five times before Thursday’s fatal stabbing of Hodges, the Post added, citing law enforcement sources.

The paper added that the suspect also has a history of knife violence.

More from the Post:

In July 2020, Cruz was caught waving an open box cutter at another person in Midtown West and shouting, “I’m going to cut him,” sources said. Cruz was ordered to get on the ground but refused.

Cruz was ordered to get on the ground, but refused. She was then pulled away by officers and busted for resisting arrest.

Just two weeks later, Cruz was arrested again for a 4:30 a.m. tag-team robbery — she and another individual used knives to steal a man’s phone and wallet after the victim invited the pair to “hang out.”

During Thursday’s fatal stabbing of Hodges, New York City police said he and Cruz seemingly argued over who ordered first at the deli before the dispute turned physical.

Hodges, 36, of the Bronx, was working his postal route when he went to get lunch at Joe’s Grocery around 2:30 p.m., police told WPIX-TV.

As Hodges was waiting to pay, an argument ensued over who was next in line, police told WPIX, adding that Cruz is accused of stabbing Hodges seven times. WABC said police found Hodges stabbed or slashed multiple times — including in the torso, arms, back, and neck — inside the establishment. Hodges was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, WABC said, adding that a weapon has been recovered.

Investigators told WPIX a witness identified the suspect near the scene of the crime. Cruz was was charged with second-degree murder, police told WPIX.

An initial story from the Post, citing sources, said “the knife-wielding suspect went crazy and gutted the victim in the stomach after he stepped in front of her in line, leaving his blood smeared all over the floors and glass door.”

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service told WPIX in a separate story that Hodges was a letter carrier and was on duty. WPIX said his postal cart was seen outside the deli.

A friend of the person of interest told WABC that it’s not in her friend’s character to attack another person without a reason: “She’s a nice young lady. She is not the type that just come out in the street and attacking people. This is just a bad neighborhood. What had happened, I have no idea because I was not around yet. I don’t know. But I do know if she said it was in self defense, it was in self defense.”

Postal worker Kathy Singleton told WABC that Hodges “was a nice young man.”