Two teenagers are being held without bail following their arraignment in Queens Criminal Court late Sunday night in the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old boy just blocks away from his Woodhaven home.
Derek Trejo, 18, who is undomiciled with his last known address on 9th Street in Long Island City, and a 17-year-old co-defendant from Edgemere, were arraigned on a criminal complaint charging them both with murder in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.
Trejo and his unnamed co-defendant are accused of confronting 17-year-old Josue Argudo who was walking home after school along Jamaica Avenue just after 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 8. The defendants allegedly acted in concert to punch and stab Argudo with a knife near a pizzeria at the northwest corner of Jamaica Avenue and 76th Street four blocks away from his home on 85th Road.
According to the charges, Argudo got into a verbal argument with the 17-year-old and Trejo. The 17-yearold allegedly stabbed Argudo, who ran up 76th Street before collapsing. Trejo allegedly chased after Argudo, punching and hitting the victim with his headphones.
Police from the 102nd Precinct in Richmond Hill responded to a 911 call on an assault in progress at the location where they found Argudo slumped over on the sidewalk. A good Samaritan had performed CPR on the teen. EMS rushed Argudo to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
“A 17- and an 18-year-old have been charged with the murder of Josue Argudo, who was senselessly stabbed to death on a Woodhaven street this past Friday afternoon,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Monday. “As alleged, the teenage perpetrator and co-defendant, Derek Trejo, engaged the 17-year-old victim in an argument on Jamaica Avenue that soon became physical. The teenage defendant produced a knife and stabbed Argudo in the torso. Despite the assistance of good Samaritans and first responders, Josue passed away a short time later.”
The 17-year-old was arrested on Saturday night and booked at the 102nd Precinct and Trejo turned himself in at the 108th Precinct in Long Island City on Sunday. Queens Criminal Court Judge Lana Schlesinger remanded the defendants into custody without bail.
“The defendants were remanded at their arraignments and the investigation into this callous act of violence is ongoing,” Katz said. “We join the family and friends of Josue as they mourn his loss.”
