Jonaiki Martinez-Estrella, one of the individuals convicted in the brutal 2018 slaying of Bronx teenager Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz, was found dead in his cell at the Coxsackie Correctional Facility in New York on Friday, June 27, 2025. He was 31 years old.
Martinez-Estrella was a central figure in the tragic case, having delivered the fatal machete blow to 15-year-old Guzman-Feliz in what was widely believed to be a case of mistaken identity by members of the Trinitarios gang. The horrific attack, captured mainly on surveillance video, sparked widespread outrage and a rallying cry for justice under the banner “Justice for Junior.”
While Martinez-Estrella’s initial first-degree murder conviction was later overturned, he was resentenced in May 2024 for second-degree murder, conspiracy, and gang assault, receiving a sentence of 25 years to life with the possibility of parole.
The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision has confirmed his death, stating that he was found unresponsive in his cell. The official cause of death has not yet been released and will be determined by the Greene County medical examiner.
Upon hearing the news, Junior’s mother, Leandra Feliz, reportedly expressed a complex mix of emotions. According to reports, she found a sense of peace, stating that her son deserved justice.
The death of Martinez-Estrella marks another somber development in a case that has deeply affected New York City and continues to highlight the devastating consequences of gang violence.