An incarcerated gang member is accused of killing a Bronx mother who was shot by a stray bullet eight years ago while getting food for her four children, according to authorities.
Jonathan Odenthal, 31, a member of the 800 YGz gang, was detained on Tuesday and charged with murder in the killing of Cindy Diaz, 48, after authorities received a tip linking him to the 2017 cold case, police said.
“This defendant allegedly opened fire on a public sidewalk, killing a mother whose four sons were waiting for her to return home with dinner. This defendant’s alleged actions demonstrate a callous disregard for human life and resulted in the tragic death of an innocent bystander,” Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said.
Diaz was on her way home with McDonald’s dinner when she was shot in the chest and arm on Boston Road in West Farms at 5:40 p.m. on January 6, 2017. She died in the hospital.
She was only a few blocks from her apartment, where her four young sons were waiting for her. Police stated that she was not the intended target.
A man was also shot during the altercation but survived, according to police. Odenthal fled after the shooting and was ultimately convicted in a federal racketeering and guns case in 2021.
Odenthal, known as “White Boy,” and six other 800 YGz gang members were detained on racketeering and conspiracy charges. They were charged with shooting at competitors and distributing drugs in the Bronx between 2019 and 2021, according to court papers.
The defendant was serving time in West Virginia when NYPD detectives received a tip linking him to the Bronx case earlier this year, according to police. He was later extradited to New York City.
Odenthal was arraigned on Wednesday in Bronx Supreme Court and pleaded not guilty. His lawyer could not be reached immediately.
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