A new video has surfaced, shedding light on the unsettling persona of Jaia Cruz, the 24-year-old accused of stabbing postal worker Ray Hodges to death inside a Harlem deli. The video, posted on X by user @ImMeme0, shows Cruz rolling her eyes and smiling seductively as a raunchy song blares lyrics in the background: “I’m such a wh-re, but I’m not a hoe.” It remains unclear if the account has any connection to Cruz.
Hodges, a 36-year-old USPS employee and father of two, was fatally attacked on Thursday while grabbing lunch at Joe’s Deli Grocery on Lenox Avenue. Witnesses say an argument between Cruz and Hodges quickly escalated, leading to Cruz spitting in Hodges’ face before stabbing him in the stomach. Hodges was rushed to Harlem Hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
Grieving family members of Hodges, speaking briefly to reporters, shared that they are “not doing well” in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Cruz, who now faces murder charges, has a violent history with at least five prior arrests. In July 2020, she was accused of threatening someone with a box cutter in Midtown West, reportedly shouting, “I’m going to cut him.” She resisted arrest at the time, police sources said. Weeks later, she was arrested for her involvement in a knifepoint robbery.
The latest murder has sparked outrage in Harlem, with community members questioning how someone with such a track record remained on the streets. Investigations into the killing, and the connection to the eerie video, are ongoing.
