NEW YORK – A Bronx man has been indicted in the murder of his estranged wife by stabbing her to death. The victim was an officer with the New York Police Department.
Argenis de Jesus Baez, 33, was formally indicted Tuesday on one count each of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon in the death of Arianna Reyes, 31, according to a press release from the office of Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark.
Baez made a court appearance Tuesday in front of Bronx Supreme Court Justice Ralph Fabrizio where he was arraigned on the aforementioned charges, Law&Crime reported.
“The defendant allegedly went to the home of his estranged wife, who served in the NYPD Transit Bureau, confronted her, then stabbed her multiple times, causing her death,” DA Clark said in a statement Wednesday. “She leaves behind a young child. I send my condolences to her family and extended NYPD family who lost a dedicated public servant to domestic violence.”
Officer Arianna Reyes was murdered in June during a domestic violence encounter. (Instagram via New York Post)
According to investigators, Baez went to Reyes’ apartment on June 13, 2022 at approximately 2:06 a.m. The off-duty NYPD Transit Bureau officer lived in the Grand Concourse Village section of the Bronx with the couple’s young child. During his seemingly unwelcomed visit the two got into a physical altercation.
“Baez allegedly struggled with Reyes and made his way into her home,” the district attorney’s office wrote in the release. “The defendant allegedly stabbed Reyes eight times in the chest, leg, back, and torso with a knife. Baez fled the scene, and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The defendant turned himself into authorities and was arrested later that day.”
The confrontation between the Baez and Reyes was recorded by a nearby surveillance camera. The footage reportedly showed Baez force his way into Reyes’ front door and then emerge about a minute later “holding a knife and leaving a bloody footprint,” WABC 7 NY reported.
The couple’s 3-year-old son was with a relative and not present in the apartment at the time of the attack, according to prosecutors.
While left bleeding inside her apartment following the stabbing, Reyes managed to get to her cell phone and call her cousin who subsequently summoned police, according to PIX 11.
Officers along with EMS responded to Reyes’ apartment at approximately 3 a.m. Reyes was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following the arraignment, Baez’s defense attorney John Russo spoke to the New York Post.
“Today was just reentering our plea of not guilty to the more formal charges voted by the grand jury,” he said. “We continue to review the evidence in this case including video and we are waiting for DNA evidence and we will continue to defend the case.”
Baez is next scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 12. He faces a 25-life sentence if convicted.
Reyes had been an officer with NYPD since 2019.
