STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Two NYPD officers were on patrol in St. George on Tuesday morning when they spotted a familiar face — a man sought in connection with a fatal stabbing on Staten Island.
Jonathan Griffin, 50, of Bayonne Court in Port Richmond, had been considered a person of interest in the death of Kycell Terry, 25, since the July 2 incident.
According to law enforcement sources, the officers spotted Griffin sitting at a wooden picnic table outside a restaurant on Bay Street. He was with a female acquaintance, eating a slice of pizza.
When they approached the tables and informed Griffin about the warrant for his arrest, he calmly finished his slice and placed his hands behind his back, waiting to be handcuffed, the source said.
The officers, both with the 120th precinct, arrested Griffin without incident. He had more than 20 prior arrests, including gun charges, according to the source.
Griffin was arraigned Tuesday in Criminal Court on charges that included second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon, aggravated family offense, harassment and criminal contempt. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Judge Matthew Santamauro ordered the defendant be remanded without the option of bail.
The defendant’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday.
Stab wounds to the abdomen
On Thursday, July 2, Kycell Terry, 25, was found with stab wounds to his abdomen inside an apartment building at 85 Ann St., according to the NYPD.
Terry, who lived in a basement apartment in a home a few blocks away, was staying at the Ann Street building with a friend, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.
The victim’s body was discovered by a woman after she woke up in the morning, the source said. Emergency medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene. The defendant allegedly knew the victim; however, the nature of their relationship was unclear as of Tuesday.
The incident marked the first murder case on Staten Island in 2026.