A 19-year-old man was indicted on murder charges in Queens Supreme Court Tuesday, April 20, after he allegedly fired the gun that killed a 37-year-old mother of two in Woodside in March, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Dajuan Williams, of Woodside, was arraigned on a six-count indictment, including charges of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon and now faces up to 25 years to life, on April 20, the DA said.
Alexander Acevedo, a 25-year-old who was allegedly also present and shooting off bullets when Guedelia Vallinas was killed at the intersection of 48th Street and Broadway, was also arraigned on criminal possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment charges, according to Katz.
Acevedo faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the charges.
On March 12, Guedelia Vallinas was walking near the Woodside Houses around 8:15 p.m., when she was hit by a bullet, allegedly fired by Williams, according to law enforcement.
Acevedo and Williams had allegedly been shooting at each other near the basketball courts of the Woodside Houses moments before Vallinas was shot in the head.
Police arrived to the scene to find Vallinas, who also lived in Woodside, unconscious and unresponsive with a gunshot wound to her head, according to the NYPD.
Vallinas was rushed to NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, where she was pronounced dead.
“We have to continue to sound the alarm about the dangers of illegal firearms and the impact of gun violence on our families and our communities. Two young children lost their mother due to this senseless shooting,” Katz said. “This cycle of violence must stop and we must work diligently to get guns off our streets.”
Williams will return to court on May 20.
