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Teen accused in Times Square killing indicted in 2 additional stabbings
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Jun 1, 2026
Modified Jun 1, 2026
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Sven Hoppe/picture alliance via Getty Images
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Jun 1, 2026
Modified Jun 1, 2026
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The teenager accused of fatally stabbing a Massachusetts man in Midtown last month has been charged in two additional knife attacks in the area, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office announced Monday.
Jayden Sanchez, 17, was initially arrested in connection with the death of 39-year-old Leonides Baez, who prosecutors said he attacked on May 4 after Baez had been sleeping outside a building on West 43rd Street near Broadway. But a new indictment alleges Sanchez was also involved in two earlier nonfatal stabbings, including one the night before Baez was killed.
“As alleged, Jayden Sanchez brutally murdered Leonides Baez in the heart of Times Square, abruptly ending his life. Additionally, he allegedly stabbed two others and robbed a newsstand in a spate of violent incidents,” District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. “This alleged conduct is abhorrent. My thoughts are with Mr. Baez’s loved ones who are mourning his tragic loss.”
According to court documents cited by prosecutors, Sanchez and three other people entered a souvenir shop on West 40th Street on April 7 and started throwing merchandise around the store. When they returned later that day, workers asked them to leave and Sanchez allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed one of the workers in the hand.
Prosecutors said Sanchez and the others also repeatedly targeted a Midtown newsstand for thefts. Around 3 a.m. on May 3, Sanchez allegedly threatened to cut a worker with a knife before reaching into the stand and taking a cash box containing several hundred dollars.
The group allegedly returned around 6 p.m. and threw a bottle through the newsstand's glass window, prosecutors said.
When the owner and workers came to repair the damage around 10 p.m., Sanchez allegedly returned. Workers tried to hold him while they called police, but he broke free and stabbed one of them in the chest, puncturing a lung, according to prosecutors.
The indictment also provides additional details about the moments before Baez's fatal stabbing.
According to prosecutors, Sanchez and two others approached Baez while he was sleeping on a ledge in a breezeway between West 42nd and West 43rd streets. One of the group grabbed Baez's bag and threw it at his head, waking him up.
The three then walked around a corner and urinated into cups, prosecutors alleged. Sanchez gestured for Baez to approach them.
When Baez got up and jogged toward the group, one of Sanchez's companions threw a cup of urine at him, causing him to retreat toward the ledge, according to prosecutors. Sanchez then allegedly pulled an 8-inch blade from his vest, followed Baez, grabbed him by the arm, turned him around and stabbed him in the heart.
Prosecutors said Sanchez and the others fled. Baez pleaded with a passerby for help but lost consciousness before emergency responders arrived. He later died from his injuries.
Baez's family told ABC7 that he had been in New York City for about two and a half weeks before his death. They described him as a free spirit who enjoyed bicycling up and down the East Coast.
An obituary described him as hardworking, humble, energetic and positive.
"He had a heart of gold and dreamed of traveling the world, chasing warm weather, music and new experiences," the obituary reads. "More than anything, he loved his family and always made an effort to stay connected no matter where life took him."
Police were also investigating the possibility that Sanchez and his group harassed Baez as part of a TikTok trend, but law enforcement officials said Monday that it turned out not to be accurate.
Sanchez was charged in a state Supreme Court indictment with second-degree murder, three counts of first-degree assault and second-degree robbery.
His attorney did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
A spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office said one of Sanchez's alleged accomplices is also in custody but did not immediately provide details about the person's charges.
This story has been updated with additional information.
Tagged
manhattan
new york city
public safety
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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