Long Island Man Charged In Savage Killing Of Bronx Teen

A Freeport man is one of several people who has been arrested and charged with the savage murder of a 15-year-old Bronx boy outside of a bodega last week.

Joniki Martinez, 24, was arrested in Paterson, New Jersey, on Sunday along with five others, and was extradited back to New York to stand trial for the slaying of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz, who went by Junior. Also arrested were Jose Muniz, 21, of Paterson; Jose Taverez, 21, of the Bronx, Manuel Rivera, 18, of the Bronx, Danel Fernandez, 21, of the Bronx; and Santiago Rodriguez, 24, of the Bronx. Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Chief Troy Oswald announced the arrests.

The Paterson Times reported that, at a hearing on Tuesday, a judge ordered the six sent to New York to face charges here.

Guzman-Feliz was in a bodega in Belmont when a group of men walked in, dragged him out onto the street and stabbed him multiple times with machetes.

According to the New York Post, the six men are all members of the Trinitarios street gang.

Guzman-Feliz, however, was not their intended target. News 12 reported that the boy was mistakenly killed, and that the gang members were targeting a different teen who looked like him who was in a sex tape with the sister of one of the gang members.

The family of Guzman-Feliz has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help out with funeral and other costs. It has raised more than $255,000.

Photo: Joniki Martinez. Courtesy Passaic County Prosecutor's office.