Lesandro Junior Guzman Feliz Video Found Dead in Prison Cell

One of the most notorious figures involved in the heartbreaking 2018 murder of 15-year-old Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz has been found dead in an upstate New York prison, reigniting painful memories of a crime that shocked the entire nation. Jonaiki Martinez-Estrella, 31, was discovered unresponsive in his cell at Coxsackie Correctional Facility last Friday, according to state prison officials.

Martinez-Estrella was serving a sentence of 25 years to life for his central role in the brutal gang attack that claimed Junior’s life a murder that was not only gruesome in its execution but also tragic in its sheer senselessness. The teenager, a promising student and aspiring police officer, was mistakenly targeted by members of the violent Trinitarios gang. The savage beating and slashing, caught on security footage, ignited outrage across New York City and beyond.

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Video and Failed Resuscitation

On Friday afternoon, prison staff found Martinez-Estrella unresponsive inside his solitary cell just after 1 p.m. Medical personnel immediately attempted life-saving measures, including CPR, the use of a defibrillator, and the administration of Narcan a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses. Despite their efforts, he was declared dead at the scene. The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision confirmed the death but offered no further details about the circumstances. The official cause of death remains pending, awaiting results from an autopsy conducted by the local coroner’s office.

The incident involving Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz was captured on camera


Full video of the incident that led to Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz’s tragic death

lesandro-junior-guzman-feliz-full-video.mp4

Although the full facts are not yet public, the incident has sparked speculation. The use of Narcan hints at a possible drug overdose, while others question whether violence or suicide played a role in his sudden demise. Regardless of the cause, the fact remains that the man who delivered the fatal slash to Junior’s neck has met a grim end behind bars.

Mother’s Harsh Yet Honest Reaction

For Leandra Feliz, the mother of the slain teenager, the news brought no comfort only a brutal reminder of all that had been taken from her. Speaking with The New York Post, she did not mince words.

“He deserved it,” she said candidly. “It’s not going to bring my son back. It doesn’t help the damage he did to me. It doesn’t help the damage he did to my family.”

Leandra has been a vocal advocate for justice since her son’s murder, regularly attending court proceedings and speaking out about the dangers of gang violence. Her pain remains raw even six years after the loss, and her words reflect a mother’s ongoing grief combined with the hard realities of street justice.

“When you use your life to be a gang member, it’s only going to go one of two ways,” she added. “Either going to jail or you’re going to the cemetery. He went [to] both. That’s the way life works.”

A Murder That Shook the Nation

The death of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz on June 20, 2018, was one of the most shocking gang-related crimes in recent New York history. The teenager, known as “Junior” to his family and friends, was walking to meet a friend when he was suddenly ambushed and chased by several gang members who believed he resembled someone in a rival video. Seeking refuge in a nearby bodega, Junior was cornered by the attackers who dragged him out and brutally assaulted him with knives and machetes on the sidewalk.

Security camera footage captured the horrific scene in broad daylight. Junior, mortally wounded, tried to run to the hospital just a block away but collapsed before he could get help. He bled out on the street in what became one of the most widely shared and emotionally charged videos on social media. The footage sparked the viral hashtag #JusticeForJunior and brought global attention to gang violence in the Bronx.

Martinez-Estrella was identified as the gang member who delivered the fatal neck wound an act described as “extremely heinous” by prosecutors. His face and actions were clearly visible in the surveillance footage, which played a crucial role in his conviction.

Sentencing and Appeals

Martinez-Estrella, along with other members of the Trinitarios gang, was arrested and tried for first-degree murder. In the initial trial, he was sentenced to life without parole. However, an appellate court later ruled that prosecutors had failed to meet the exceptionally high legal standard required to uphold a first-degree murder conviction in his case. Although the court acknowledged his central role in Junior’s death, it determined that he should be re-sentenced for second-degree murder.

That re-sentencing carried a penalty of 25 years to life in prison, which he was serving at the time of his death. Despite the reduced charge, the court maintained that his actions were pivotal in ending Junior’s life and that his brutality was fully captured and undeniable.

Pain Without Closure

For the Guzman-Feliz family, the re-sentencing was already a bitter pill to swallow. But even Martinez-Estrella’s death has not brought the closure they desperately hoped for. The psychological trauma of losing a child in such a violent and public way has left permanent scars.

“He is only getting a small taste, a small part of what he did to me,” Leandra said, as she prepared to attend church services. “He killed an innocent kid outside in the street. Him being a 31-year-old that threw his life away to being a gang member he got what he deserved.”

Her words are not vindictive but grounded in the lived experience of a mother who saw her son’s promising life end due to a mistaken identity and senseless violence. Leandra has since used her voice to support anti-gang initiatives and work with community organizations to help prevent similar tragedies from happening again.

Public Outrage and Long-Term Impact

The aftermath of Junior’s murder was marked by candlelight vigils, mass protests, and a renewed conversation about gang activity in vulnerable neighborhoods. The New York Police Department faced scrutiny over its response, and many community leaders called for tougher sentencing, improved social programs, and better protection for youth.

Junior’s dream of becoming a police officer touched hearts across the country. The NYPD posthumously honored him, and he became a symbol of innocence lost in a city struggling with deep-rooted issues of crime and youth violence.

The Trinitarios gang, a Dominican-American street gang originally formed for self-protection, has since become known for its internal factions and brutal enforcement methods. In the wake of Junior’s death, law enforcement intensified crackdowns on the group’s operations, leading to dozens of arrests.

Unanswered Questions

Martinez-Estrella’s sudden death raises uncomfortable questions about safety, drugs, and oversight inside correctional facilities. Was his death the result of substance abuse, mental health decline, or an act of violence? Could it have been prevented?

So far, prison authorities have remained tight-lipped, offering only a basic timeline and deferring any definitive answers until the coroner’s report is complete. While some view his death as karma or justice served, others believe transparency is still necessary to ensure accountability even for inmates convicted of the worst crimes.

The Final Chapter?

Though Martinez-Estrella’s death may feel like the final chapter to some, for the Guzman-Feliz family, the pain is enduring. Their son is still gone. Their home is still quiet. Their hearts still broken.

Still, Leandra Feliz continues to speak up, not out of vengeance, but as a warning.

“I don’t want another mother to go through what I did,” she once said. “We need to protect our children before gangs destroy them.”

As the public awaits official confirmation about what led to Martinez-Estrella’s death, the story remains a grim reminder of how violence begets more violence, and how the choices of one moment can destroy lives forever.

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