The suspects were found hiding in a Massachusetts basement after a multistate search and have agreed to return to New York.
LYNN, MA — Two men accused of stabbing an off-duty New York City police detective seven times during an attempted robbery in the Bronx were arrested early Wednesday, Oct. 7, after investigators found them hiding in the basement of a home in Lynn, authorities said.
The arrests ended a search that began after Detective Jose Mercedes, 33, was attacked Oct. 2 in the Norwood section of the Bronx. Massachusetts State Police identified the suspects as D’Angelo Caraballo, 25, and a 24-year-old man identified in New York reports as Sneider Mejia. Massachusetts authorities identified the second suspect as Sneider Bautista. Federal officials have also used the name Sneider Mejia Bautista. Both men appeared in Lynn District Court on Wednesday and agreed to return to New York, where they face charges including attempted murder.
Massachusetts State Police said officers arrested the suspects without incident at approximately 12:20 a.m. Wednesday. The operation involved NYPD detectives, the U.S. Marshals Service, Massachusetts State Police and Lynn police. Investigators had searched multiple addresses and followed leads involving people associated with the suspects after receiving information that the men might have fled New York for Massachusetts.
The stabbing happened Friday afternoon as Mercedes was near his vehicle in the Norwood neighborhood. Police said two men approached the off-duty detective and attacked him during an apparent robbery attempt. Investigators said Mercedes suffered seven stab wounds before the suspects escaped on a motorized bicycle. Authorities have described the attack as an attempted robbery involving a gold chain worn by the detective.
Witness accounts provided to New York news organizations described a confrontation near Mercedes’ parked vehicle. One witness told CBS News New York that someone had broken into the detective’s car and that Mercedes approached the person before being stabbed. Investigators said Mercedes attempted to pursue the attackers on foot despite his injuries but collapsed a short distance away. Emergency responders transported him to NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi for treatment.
Mercedes initially suffered serious injuries, prompting concern among his colleagues and New York City officials. He survived the attack and was discharged from the hospital before the suspects were arrested. Massachusetts State Police reported that he was released Oct. 6. NYPD colleagues gathered to support him as he left the hospital, marking an important step in his recovery. His longer-term medical outlook has not been publicly detailed.
The search for the attackers involved investigators from several jurisdictions. The Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section worked with regional fugitive task forces and local police departments after investigators developed information pointing toward Massachusetts. Officers eventually located the two men at a residence in Lynn. Police said both were hiding in the basement when authorities entered and took them into custody.
Acting U.S. Marshal Dennis Matulewicz credited cooperation among law enforcement agencies for the arrests. Speaking to WHDH-TV, he emphasized that the investigation depended on officers working together across jurisdictional boundaries. Lynn Police Chief Christopher Kelly also expressed concern about the violence, noting that an attack on a law enforcement officer carries particular weight for other officers while remaining troubling for any victim.
Following their arrests, Caraballo and Mejia appeared in Lynn District Court on fugitive from justice charges. The Boston Globe reported that both pleaded not guilty and waived extradition, giving up their right to contest their return to New York. They were ordered held without bail and committed to the Essex County House of Correction pending transfer. Court records cited by the newspaper listed Oct. 20 video hearings if they had not been returned to New York before that date.
The Department of Homeland Security separately identified the men as citizens of the Dominican Republic who had entered the United States illegally. Federal officials also described previous encounters with immigration and criminal authorities. Those immigration claims are separate from the attempted murder allegations arising from the stabbing. Neither suspect has been convicted in connection with the attack on Mercedes.
New York investigators had released surveillance images while searching for the men. The case drew attention from police officials and the Detectives’ Endowment Association, the union representing NYPD detectives. Union President Scott Munro praised the investigators who located the suspects and called for accountability through the justice system. The NYPD also publicly thanked the U.S. Marshals Service for helping track down the men.
The case now moves toward further proceedings in New York. Authorities expect Caraballo and Mejia to be returned to the city to face attempted murder and related charges. Their exact transfer date had not been announced as of Wednesday evening. Mercedes has been released from the hospital, while the criminal allegations against the two suspects remain unresolved in court.
Author note: Last updated October 8, 2026.