Press Release

GRAND JURY INDICTS QUEENS MAN FOR MURDER IN KILLING OF YOUNG MOTHER HIT BY STRAY BULLET IN ASTORIA LAST MONTH

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Dajuan Williams, 19, has been indicted by a grand jury and arraigned in Queens Supreme Court on murder and other charges. Williams was allegedly aiming to shoot a rival gang member when a stray bullet hit and killed a 37-year-old mother of two young children in March.

District Attorney Katz said, “We have to continue to sound the alarm about the dangers of illegal firearms and the impact of gun violence on our families and our communities. Two young children lost their mother due to this senseless shooting. This cycle of violence must stop and we must work diligently to get guns off our streets.”

Williams, of Broadway in Woodside, Queens, was arraigned this morning before Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael B. Aloise on a six-count indictment charging him with murder in the second degree, and  criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. Justice Aloise remanded the defendant and ordered his return to Court on May 20, 2021. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 25 years-to-life in prison.

Also indicted with Williams was Alexander Acevedo, 25, of 37th Street Astoria, Queens. Acevedo was arraigned on April 13, 2021, before Queens Supreme Court Justice Stephen Knopf. Acevedo is charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and reckless endangerment in the first degree. Justice Knopf ordered the defendant to return to Court on April 29, 2021. If convicted, Acevedo faces up to 15 years in prison.

DA Katz said the victim, Guedelia Vallinas, was walking near the Woodside Houses on March 12, 2021, around 8:14 p.m. near the intersection of 48th Street and Broadway when she was struck by a single bullet – one of multiple shots fired at another intended target.

Williams was allegedly shooting at Acevedo, who moments before the fatal shot struck Ms. Vallinas, had fired at least one shot near the basketball court in the Woodside Houses.

Mrs. Vallinas was rushed to a nearby hospital where she succumbed to the injuries later that night.

Supervising Assistant District Attorney Gabriel Mendoza, with assistance from Assistant District Attorneys Joanna Matuza and Kevin Timpone of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprise Bureau are prosecuting the case, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Jonathan Sennett, Bureau Chief,  and Michelle E. Goldstein, Senior Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Gerard Brave.

**Criminal complaints and indictments are accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.