Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Lindy Jones pleaded guilty today to the top count of the indictment against him, a weapon-possession charge, for a loaded 9 mm firearm that was found in the glove box of his car as the result of a search warrant. Jones was behind the wheel of the car when his passenger, Guy Rivera, shot and killed NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller in March 2024.

District Attorney Katz said: “Lindy Jones drove around the streets of Queens with a loaded, defaced firearm that threatened the lives of everyone he encountered. We have seen firsthand the devastation illegal guns cause as we continue to mourn the killing of Detective Jonathan Diller at the hands of Jones’ codefendant. That is why my office will continue to methodically rid our streets of lethal weapons and prosecute those who choose to possess them. I thank my Homicide Bureau for securing a guilty plea from this defendant – sparing the family the trauma of reliving the details of that terrible day – and ensuring that he is sentenced to prison for his actions.”

Jones, 43, of Edgemere, pleaded guilty today to criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree before Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Yavinsky. Justice Yavinsky indicated that he will sentence Jones on July 14 to five years in prison to be followed by five years post-release supervision.

Jones’ codefendant, Guy Rivera, 36, was convicted of aggravated manslaughter in the first degree, attempted murder in the first degree and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree in connection with the killing of Detective Diller and the attempted killing of Sergeant Sasha Rosen and was sentenced to 115 years to life in prison in April.

Detective Diller was an officer at the time of his murder and was posthumously promoted to the rank of detective.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the charges and investigation, on March 25, 2024, at approximately 5:45 p.m., Jones was walking alongside Rivera when a police sergeant noticed a gun-shaped bulge in the front pocket of Rivera’s sweatshirt.

Jones entered the driver’s seat of a 2016 Kia Soul parked in front of 19-19 Mott Avenue in Far Rockaway and Rivera got into the passenger seat.

Detective Diller and the other members of his team approached the vehicle. Diller issued numerous commands to Rivera to roll down his window and step out of the vehicle, which Rivera ignored.

Defendant Jones also refused an order to unlock the vehicle and another officer reached into the car through an open window and unlocked the doors from the driver’s side control panel. Detective Diller then opened the passenger side door and instructed Rivera to exit the vehicle.

Instead of stepping out from the vehicle, Rivera reached into his pocket with his right hand, ignored repeated commands to stop, drew a .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol and fired at Detective Diller, killing him.

After shooting Detective Diller, Rivera pointed his gun directly at Sergeant Rosen’s chest and pulled the trigger, but the gun jammed.

Jones and Rivera were apprehended at the scene immediately following the shooting.

On March 26, 2024, as part of an ongoing investigation, members of the Queens District Attorney’s Office and the 101st Precinct obtained a court-authorized search warrant for the vehicle. The search led to the discovery of a second gun: a loaded 9 mm pistol inside the glove compartment. The firearm was found to be defaced, with the serial number scratched off.

Assistant District Attorney Gabriel J. Reale of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau prosecuted the case with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Zawistowski, Assistant Deputy Bureau Chief, also of the Homicide Bureau, as well as Assistant District Attorney Natasha Levy, of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys John Kosinski, Homicide Bureau Chief, Karen Ross and Jonathan Selkowe, Deputy Chiefs, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.