Woman charged with murder in postal worker’s death in a New York deli

NEW YORK– A woman accused of stabbing a postal worker to death at a New York deli was charged with murder on Friday. Witnesses said the killing followed an argument over whose turn it was to command.

Jaia Cruz, 24, was held without bail following her indictment in the murder of letter carrier Ray Hodge. A message seeking comment was left for Cruz’s attorney.

Hodge, 36, was stabbed in the chest, neck and arms at a Harlem deli on Thursday afternoon, according to a court complaint. Police found him injured on the ground in his postal uniform.

Another customer, Janet Rich, told the Daily News that Hodge and Cruz were arguing at the deli about who was next. Rich said she and another person tried to intervene to no avail.

The US Postal Inspection Service said Hodge was a postal worker assigned to Manhattan.

Neighbors created a memorial outside his Bronx home Friday and placed candles around his mail hat.

A resident of his postal route, Alejandro Alarcon, told the New York Post the postman reached out to help customers. Alarcon said Hodge helped him check on a package shortly before the postal worker’s death.