What started as a quiet Throggs Neck block has turned into the center of a federal murder case, after prosecutors in Manhattan unsealed an indictment charging a Bronx man with stalking, robbing, and killing 24-year-old resident Jermy Ortega last year.
Welfy Espinol, 25, was arrested in New Jersey and is accused of placing a GPS device on Ortega’s car, tracking his movements, then ambushing him outside his home in April 2025. Ortega was shot on April 13, 2025, and later died at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi. A second man, 27-year-old Lenyn Toribio, has also been indicted and remains at large.
What prosecutors allege
According to News12 Bronx, prosecutors say Espinol and Toribio planted a GPS tracker on Ortega’s car and watched his movements for days before the attack. The indictment alleges the pair waited outside Ortega’s home at 226 Quincy Ave just after 4:45 a.m. on April 13, 2025, then chased him, shot him repeatedly, and fled with a bag that held diamond jewelry. Prosecutors say the tracker was removed from Ortega’s car a few hours after the killing.
Neighbors remember
24-Year-Old Man Fatally Shot recounted neighbors describing Ortega as a hard-working young man and said the usually quiet Throggs Neck block was jolted awake by early-morning gunfire. Local coverage at the time noted Ortega was rushed to Jacobi, where he was later pronounced dead, and neighbors told reporters the killing felt completely out of character for the block.
Arrest and federal charges
Espinol was arrested Friday morning in New Jersey and is charged with interstate stalking resulting in death, a count that can carry life in prison, and a separate conspiracy to commit interstate stalking that prosecutors say carries a maximum sentence of five years, News12 Bronx reports.
The unsealing of the indictment was announced by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said, “These defendants orchestrated a scheme to place a GPS tracking device on their victim’s car and followed him for days, ultimately leading to his death,” quoting the indictment as cited by News12.
What the federal charge means
Federal law treats interstate stalking and related offenses as serious crimes, including enhanced penalties when a death results. The statute at Cornell Law School provides for a potential life sentence if the victim dies.
An indictment is an accusation, not a conviction. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Prosecutors say the investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information about Toribio’s whereabouts is urged to contact the NYPD. Hoodline will update this story as federal proceedings develop.
