Man charged for McDonald’s worker’s slaying

Correction appended.

Authorities have arraigned Rafael Gonzalez for the Jan. 4 stabbing death of Riverdale resident Adam Garcia at the 5765 Broadway McDonald’s where the victim was working.

The suspect, 41, was charged with felony counts of murder with intent to kill and manslaughter on Jan. 7. He had turned himself in to detectives at the 50th Precinct on Jan. 6 around 10:30 a.m., according to police, ending an intensive search for the suspect. A lawyer accompanied Mr. Gonzalez to the precinct, located across the street from where the murder occurred.

Mr. Gonzalez remains in Department of Corrections custody, according to Capt. Terence O’Toole, the CO of the 50th.

Mr. Gonzalez allegedly stabbed Mr. Garcia to death around 4:30 a.m. on Jan. 4 after the McDonald’s night manager attempted to throw the suspect out for an unknown reason, according to news sources.

Capt. O’Toole said a subsequent police canvassing of the neighborhood did not turn up the suspect, though officers met a number of people who said Mr. Garcia was known to hang out in the vicinity of the McDonald’s.

The commanding officer said police used surveillance video from stores near the scene of the crime along with interviews with individuals in the area to determine that Mr. Gonzalez was their suspect.

Capt. O’Toole continued that police eventually made contact with relatives of Mr. Garcia, who said he occasionally stayed at their Bailey Avenue home. Officers got in touch with the suspect’s mother and communicated that Mr. Gonzalez should turn himself in.

“It’s better that he comes in by himself than a tragic situation occurs on the street,” the commanding officer remarked.

Capt. O’Toole said while Mr. Gonzalez appeared to lead an itinerant life, a search of homeless shelter records did not turn up any recent mention of the suspect. The captain said Mr. Gonzalez appeared to move frequently from home to home of family members and others, staying on their couches.