Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a New Jersey man has been
indicted on Murder and Manslaughter in the death of a 20-year-old Bronx man.
District Attorney Clark said, “During an unprovoked attack, the defendant stabbed the
victim in the chest, leaving him brain dead. The victim’s family made the tortuous decision to
remove this 20-year-old man from life support. We will pursue justice for the heartbroken family
and friends of the victim.”
District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Edwin Portes, 19, of Elizabeth, N.J., was
arraigned today on second-degree Murder and first-degree Manslaughter before Bronx Supreme
Court Justice George Villegas. The defendant was remanded and is due back in court on April
21, 2020.
According to the investigation, at approximately 2:30 a.m. on December 21, 2019 the
victim, Giovanny Pimentel, 20, was at 2170 University Avenue hanging out with friends. The
defendant allegedly approached with a knife and lunged at the victim, stabbing him once in the
chest. The defendant also lunged at another individual but missed. Pimentel was declared brain
dead on December 22, 2020 at St. Barnabas Hospital and was taken off life support six days later.
The defendant fled to New Jersey and was arrested on January 10, 2020.
District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detectives Rafael Guzman
and William Seligson of the 46th Precinct Squad, and Police Officer Jacqueline Saturnino of the
Elizabeth, N.J. Police Department for their assistance in the case.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.
