Jyrell Thomas Charged With Murder After Fatal J Train Stabbing in Queens

QUEENS, New York — A 25-year-old Bronx man has been charged with murder after a 59-year-old subway rider was fatally stabbed aboard a J train in Queens, according to police and multiple New York news reports.

Police identified the defendant as Jyrell Thomas, 25. He was charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the death of Mesias Lojano, 59. The attack unfolded Wednesday evening on a J train near the Woodhaven Boulevard station in Queens, during the busy evening commute.

The case has drawn attention across New York City because of the sudden nature of the attack, the actions of witnesses who followed the suspected attacker after he left the train, and renewed concern about violence in the transit system.

Important: Criminal charges are allegations. Thomas is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

What happened on the J train in Queens

According to ABC7 New York, police said Thomas was pacing inside the subway car and appeared agitated before approaching Lojano. Authorities said Lojano tried to move away before he was attacked with a kitchen knife. The confrontation then continued toward the platform area.

Other reporting from CBS New York and Spectrum News NY1 places the stabbing during the Wednesday evening rush on a northbound J train as it approached or arrived at the Woodhaven Boulevard station. CBS reported that Lojano suffered multiple stab wounds to his neck and chest.

Emergency responders found Lojano unconscious and unresponsive at the station. He was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, according to CBS and NY1.

Police have described the attack as unprovoked in their latest accounts, and CBS reported that investigators said there had been no prior interaction between Thomas and Lojano before the stabbing. Earlier reports included references to some type of verbal dispute, so the exact sequence leading up to the attack remains part of the ongoing investigation.

Witnesses followed the suspect after the attack

One of the most significant parts of the response came from people who were at or near the station when the violence unfolded.

ABC7 reported that witness Bismarck Villareyna recorded video during the incident and continued following the suspect after the attack. He later helped direct responding officers toward the man police were seeking.

Surveillance footage described by CBS showed commuters moving quickly down the station stairs and a person dressed in dark clothing leaving the area. Several people were then seen following the individual.

CBS also reported that witness David Benenson and others followed the suspected attacker down the street. The man eventually climbed onto a rooftop, where witnesses remained nearby until police arrived.

ABC7 said Thomas was ultimately taken into custody after climbing onto a nearby roof. A knife was recovered during the investigation, according to CBS.

Jyrell Thomas charged with murder and weapon possession

By Thursday, police had identified Thomas and announced two charges: murder and criminal possession of a weapon.

ABC7 reported that Thomas was taken to Jamaica Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation Thursday morning and that police described him as emotionally disturbed. That description is a police characterization and does not establish a medical diagnosis, legal defense, or finding about his competency.

Authorities have not publicly established a motive in the latest reports reviewed for this article. The investigation remains active, and additional details could emerge through court filings, an arraignment, or subsequent statements from prosecutors and defense attorneys.

ABC7 also reported that Thomas had one prior arrest in September involving an alleged theft from a Target store in the Bronx. Police said that earlier case included charges of petit larceny, obstruction of governmental administration, and criminal possession of stolen property. Those allegations are separate from the Queens homicide case.

Who was Mesias Lojano?

Police identified the victim as 59-year-old Mesias Lojano. NY1 reported that a longtime neighbor described him as a good person and said he lived with his son.

The fatal attack occurred during what would otherwise have been an ordinary evening commute. News footage from the station showed emergency responders working at the scene as riders moved through and around the transit hub.

Because the case is still developing, authorities may release additional information about Lojano and his family as the investigation and court process continue. Out of respect for relatives, this article is limiting biographical details to information that has been publicly confirmed by established news outlets.

Woodhaven Boulevard station becomes center of investigation

Woodhaven Boulevard is a J and Z subway stop in Queens. The station and surrounding area became the focus of a major police response after the stabbing, with investigators reviewing surveillance footage, collecting physical evidence, and speaking with witnesses.

The incident also highlighted how quickly bystander video and nearby surveillance can become part of a criminal investigation. In this case, witnesses did more than document what happened: multiple reports indicate that some followed the suspected attacker from the station and helped police locate him.

Authorities have not suggested that riders should physically confront armed suspects. The witness accounts instead show the difficult choices people faced in real time while trying to preserve evidence, maintain visual contact, and alert police.

Subway safety concerns return to focus

The killing is the latest serious act of violence to draw attention to safety in New York City's subway system.

ABC7 reported that this was the sixth homicide in the subway system in 2026. The station also cited police data showing 441 subway assaults at that point in the year, compared with 410 during the comparable period in 2025, an increase of about 7%.

Those figures represent a snapshot from the reporting date and can change as the NYPD updates crime statistics or reclassifies cases. Different outlets may also use slightly different cutoff dates when comparing subway crime totals.

NY1 reported that, at the same point the previous year, three people had been murdered in the subway system. The broader picture of transit safety includes many categories of crime, so homicide and assault figures should not be treated as interchangeable measures of overall subway crime.

For riders who use the J line every day, however, the immediate impact is less statistical. Several commuters interviewed by local news outlets described shock that a fatal stabbing occurred during the evening commute at a station they regularly use.

What happens next in the case

The criminal case now moves into the court system. Prosecutors will be responsible for proving the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, while Thomas has the right to counsel, to challenge the government's evidence, and to present a defense.

Future proceedings may clarify the exact timeline of the attack, whether prosecutors allege a motive, what surveillance or witness evidence will be introduced, and how the recovered knife is connected to the case.

As of the latest reports reviewed here, police had announced the murder and weapon charges, but the investigation was still ongoing. Readers should be cautious about social media claims that go beyond information released by law enforcement, prosecutors, defense counsel, or verified reporting.

Key facts

• Victim: Mesias Lojano, 59.
• Defendant: Jyrell Thomas, 25, of the Bronx.
• Charges: Murder and criminal possession of a weapon, according to police.
• Location: A J train at or near the Woodhaven Boulevard subway station in Queens.
• Timing: Wednesday evening, Sept. 30, 2026, during the evening commute.
• Police account: Investigators have described the attack in their latest reporting as unprovoked.
• Status: The criminal case and investigation remain ongoing.

Sources

This report was compiled from breaking-news coverage and publicly reported police information from ABC7 New York, CBS New York, and Spectrum News NY1.

Featured image: Metropolitan Transportation Authority / Marc A. Hermann, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. The image shows a J train at Woodhaven Boulevard in January 2025 and is illustrative; it does not depict the stabbing.

This is a developing story. Details may be updated as additional verified information becomes available.