Bronx man indicted, accused of stalking, robbing and killing Throggs Neck man in 2025
Welfy Espinol is accused of tracking Jermy Ortega before ambushing him in front of his home at 226 Quincy St. on April 13, 2025. His alleged partner, Lenyn Toribio, of Manhattan, was also indicted but remains on the run as of Friday evening.
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A Bronx man was indicted for his alleged role in the stalking, robbing and killing of a Throggs Neck man in 2025, according to the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton.
Welfy Espinol is accused of tracking Jermy Ortega, 24, before ambushing him in front of his home at 226 Quincy St. on April 13, 2025. His alleged partner, Lenyn Toribio, of Manhattan, was also indicted but remains on the run as of Friday evening.
Prosecutors say Espinol, 25, and Toribio, 27, were involved in a multiple-week scheme, alongside others, to follow Ortega's movements using a GPS device, in search of the right moment to strike.
Their plan became a reality just after 4:45 a.m. on April 13. The duo waited outside Ortega's home, knowing that he would soon return from a restaurant in Midtown Manhattan, according to court documents.
When Epsinol and Toribio saw Ortega arrive home and get out of his car, they started chasing the 24-year-old. Prosecutors say the duo shot him repeatedly before stealing a bag Ortega was carrying that contained diamond jewelry.
Officers found Ortega a short time later with gunshot wounds to the chest. EMS rushed him to NYC Health and Hospitals/Jacobi, where he died.
“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,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch.
The tracker was removed from Ortega's car a few hours after the killing, according to the indictment.
The duo allegedly took steps to evade police the night of the killing, driving multiple vehicles and even using a stolen license plate.
Espinol was arrested Friday morning in New Jersey and is charged with interstate stalking resulting in death and could face life in prison if convicted.
He also faces a conspiracy to commit interstate stalking charge, which holds a maximum sentence of five years behind bars.
Ortega faces the same charges. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to call the NYPD.
