An ex-con has been arrested over accusations he used a machete to hack to death a Florida man in Queens for a friend’s birthday, cops said.
An ex-con has been arrested over accusations he used a machete to hack to death a Florida man in Queens for a friend’s birthday, cops said Friday.
Police nabbed Ronald O’Neil for the Wednesday slaying of Hakeem Griffin, 22.
Griffin was visiting from Palm Coast, Fla., when he encountered O’Neil, 23, clad in black, outside a pizza parlor near 57th Ave. and 92nd. St. in Corona, police said.
O’Neil lives in the LeFrak City development a few blocks from where Griffin was killed. Griffin spent his teenage years living in the same neighborhood.
Man who left Queens for Florida killed in machete attack
They got into an argument and O’Neil allegedly drew the machete and began hacking at Griffin.
Griffin was unresponsive when cops arrived. Medics rushed him to Elmhurst Hospital, where he died.
He has 14 prior arrests dating to 2011, sources said. In 2017, he was arrested for criminal sale of marijuana and robbery of a taxi driver, both in Queens.
He was arrested three times in 2016, including for lying to cops and possession of marijuana.
A GoFundMe page created to raise money for Griffin’s funeral had surpassed its $9,000 goal by Friday afternoon.
“Our beloved Hakeem Griffin was brutally murdered in the same neighborhood he grew up,” the page reads.
“If you ever got the pleasure of knowing Hakeem you would know how great of person he was, the most infectious smile you would ever see. The world suffered a great loss with the passing of our Son, Grandson, Brother, Uncle, Cousin & Friend.”
Griffin’s mom moved the family to Florida to get them away from the dangers of the city.
