QUEENS, NY – District Attorney Melinda Katz has announced the indictment of Aaron Mayers and Zahir Williams for the murder of a Brooklyn man, Francisco Ortega, using his own vehicle in Astoria. The indictment includes charges of second-degree murder, first-degree gang assault, and multiple robbery counts.
On October 20, around 3:30 AM, Ortega engaged in a verbal altercation with Williams and Mayers near 40-06 Astoria Boulevard. Video surveillance captured the incident, showing Ortega being sucker-punched, beaten unconscious, and subsequently run over with his BMW sedan.
According to DA Katz, the case demonstrates a heinous act of brutality, underscoring the need to remove such dangerous individuals from the streets.
Williams, 24, from the Bronx, and Mayers, 25, from Pennsylvania, face severe legal consequences, including up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted. Williams also faces an additional charge of criminal possession of a weapon. Both defendants are scheduled to return to court on February 27, 2024.
The detailed account of the crime reveals a shocking level of violence: After the initial assault, Williams drove over the unconscious Ortega, dragging his body several feet before crashing into a parked car and fleeing on foot. Ortega, taken to a local hospital, was pronounced dead from multiple blunt impact injuries.
The case was investigated by Detective Oliver Kim of the NYPD’s 114th Precinct Detective Squad, supervised by Lieutenant Matthew Barber.
