More than 200 of New York’s finest filled a Queens courtroom Monday as two career criminals were charged with killing hero cop Jonathan Diller during a traffic stop – with prosecutors revealing the driver admitted: “I shoot people.”
Lindy Jones — who was behind the wheel of the Kia Soul stopped by police when his passenger, Guy Rivera, allegedly opened fire on Diller last week — showed no emotion as prosecutors said he faced four counts of firearm possession.
Assistant Prosecutor Gabriel Reale said the indictment “relates to a .9mm caliber pistol recovered from the glove compartment of a Kia Soul.
“This Kia Soul was the car the defendant was driving when his passenger, his now co-defendant, Guy Rivera, pulled out a second .380 caliber firearm and fired, killing the officer – and now, posthumously , the detective – Jonathan Diller. .”
Rivera, who was not in court because he remains hospitalized with a gunshot wound, was charged with first- and second-degree murder, attempted murder and possession of a firearm.
“We live in a society where shooting a police officer must be held accountable,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said outside the courthouse. “This is a man who died simply for doing his job. He was a father, he was a son, he was a brother. One day he went out to do his work and never came home.
Prosecutors said a 9mm handgun was found in the glove compartment of Jones’ car after the shooting – and that he allegedly admitted to cops: “My name is Lindy Jones Jr. and I shoot people. »
Jones, 41, nicknamed “Killa,” has at least 14 arrests on his criminal record, including for robbery, assault and attempted murder in a 2001 case in which he was accused of shooting a man three times.
He faces up to 30 years in state prison for his alleged role in Diller’s senseless death.
“My office quoted him saying, ‘I shoot people,’ and that’s one of the reasons we think he’s an incredible flight risk,” Katz said. “He made it very clear that that’s what he was doing: he was shooting people.”
Rivera, 34, is also a seasoned criminal with 21 arrests under his belt and spent five years in state prison for a drug conviction before being released in 2021 and completing his parole in 2022.
Diller, a married father of a 1-year-old boy, was questioning Jones and Rivera after spotting their car parked at a bus stop in Far Rockaway when he was shot under his bulletproof vest, according to police.
Mortally wounded, the young cop grabbed Rivera’s gun while the accused killer was in the middle of a death fight over the murder weapon with Diller’s partner sergeant on the NYPD, sources said .
Rivera was injured in the struggle.
Jones was taken into custody before later being charged with weapons possession.
At the time, he was free on $75,000 bail on gun possession charges, and Reale said those two cases would now be combined.
“This is a career criminal who has been arrested numerous times, and less than a year ago he was arrested for possession of an illegal firearm,” said Patrick Hendry, president from the NYPD Police Benevolent Association, about Jones.
“Why was he on the street again? He should have been remanded in custody,” he said. “And last Monday, in his car, he had another illegal firearm. He is just as responsible for the death of our hero brother as the triggerman .
“Our criminal justice system is broken. We’ve said it many times,” Hendry added. “Change must start now in this case. We have to start now. »
Police sources said Rivera and Jones were planning a robbery and were parked outside a cell phone store for at least 10 minutes when they aroused Diller’s suspicions.
Jones tried to talk his way out of the trouble by claiming Rivera was a hitchhiker he had just picked up.
“There is another weapon in the car,” he allegedly told police officers at the 101st precinct, according to prosecutors. “I think they found it. That’s why I’m here.”
Jones, who wore an orange jail jumpsuit, was taken into custody at Rikers Island on Monday by Judge Gia Morris and is expected to be arraigned on April 16.
His lawyer, Murray Singer, had no comment.
Rivera is scheduled to appear in court on May 7.
Diller, 31, a three-year veteran of New York’s Finest, was laid to rest following the funeral in Massapequa this weekend, following a two-day vigil that drew hundreds of uniformed officers from across the country and included the visit of the former president. Donald Trump.
During a moving eulogy, the slain police officer’s wife denounced city and state police for their failure to keep violent criminals like River and Long off the streets and protect police officers.
“It’s been two years and two months since Detectives Rivera and Mora made the ultimate sacrifice, as did my husband Jonathan Diller,” Stephanie Diller told mourners. “Dominique Rivera stood in front of all the elected officials present today to advocate for change.
“That change never happened,” she said. “And now my son will grow up without his father, and I will grow old without my husband. And his parents have to say goodbye to their child.
Diller is also survived by the couple’s son, Ryan.
New York Post
