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Riverhead man murdered by homeless man at food cart in Queens, prosecutors say

A Riverhead man was stabbed to death following a dispute with a homeless man in Jackson Heights, Queens, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

The 25-year-old victim, Miguel Angel Becerra-Perez, was waiting at a food cart for a shish kebab at the intersection of 80th Street and Roosevelt Avenue at about 9:41 p.m. Sept. 27, when he got into an argument with John Daves, 32, who officials say is homeless.

Video surveillance cameras show Mr. Daves chasing Mr. Becerra-Perez down the block, then grabbing him, pulling him to the ground and stabbing him with a knife he had grabbed from the food cart, according to prosecutors.

Mr. Becerra-Perez was stabbed once in the right arm and once in the chest and later died as a result of those injuries, officials said.

“The defendant used a knife to settle a fight and now because of this senseless act of violence, a 25-year-old young man is dead,” DA Brown said in a statement Tuesday. “The defendant faces a very long term of incarceration for his alleged actions.”

Mr. Daves was arrested and arraigned Oct. 1 before Queens Criminal Court Judge Jeffrey Gershuny on charges of second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

He was ordered held without bail and has an Oct. 30 court date.

If convicted, he could face up to 25 years to life in prison, officials said.

The DA’s office said that Mr. Becerra-Perez was from Riverhead but gave no more specific information than that.

The Robertaccio Funeral Home in Patchogue had a visitation for him Wednesday, Oct. 10, from 2-9 p.m.

Attempts to reach any of Mr. Becerra-Perez’s relatives were unsuccessful.

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Photo caption:Miguel Angel Becerra-Perez.