15yo Guzman-Feliz was dragged out of a bodega in the Bronx by a group of men who slashed him repeatedly with machetes, stabbed him in the neck and left him for dead. Photo / AP
The father of a girl in a sex tape that police believe led to the gruesome murder of Bronx teen Lesandro 'Junior' Guzman-Feliz has apologized to the family of the victim.
Javier, whose last name was withheld by the New York Post because his underage daughter is involved in a sex crime investigation, said he is 'disgusted' and 'angry' by the whole ordeal.
The father became aware of the video after news of the mistaken-identity slaying in the Bronx exploded on social media and people began to search for answers, reports The Daily Mail.
On June 20 Guzman-Feliz was dragged out of a bodega in the Bronx by a group of men who slashed him repeatedly with machetes, stabbed him in the neck and left him for dead.
Police believe the attack was carried out by the Trinitarios gang members who confused Guzman-Feliz with another teen.
Javier, 43, told the New York Post that he immediately recognized his daughter when his brother sent him the video on Facebook.
The 17-second video shows a young man who looks like Guzman-Feliz performing a rap while the girl is lying on a table engaged in sex in the background, according to The Post.
She would have likely been 14 years old at the time it was recorded in August 2017. The video was shared illegally on Snapchat and other social media websites.
"I cried a lot… it's disgusting to see my daughter in a video like that," he said via a sign language interpreter.
"I don't know what happened. Their mother doesn't raise them right. It's pathetic."
Javier said he doesn't recognize any of the eight men who have been arrested in connection with Guzman-Feliz's murder, but some there have been reports that the girl in the video was related to a gang member.
"I'm sorry this happened. I feel lost. My heart is broke. I'm shocked, I'm very emotional right now,"he said.
Both Javier and his daughter have been receiving death threats on social media.
"Everybody on Facebook is saying it's my fault, but I don't know anything, I haven't seen her," he said.
"I have to be careful walking around, I'm scared… I'm worried… I need my safety for these children," he said.
The father said that he has not been contacted by authorities, and that his daughter is not the girl who has been provided police protection.
The Post said police sources did not confirm if Javier's daughter was under investigation.
She and Guzman-Feliz were reportedly both in the NYPD Explorers program for youths interested in a career in law enforcement, the source added.
Eight men, all of whom are said to be members of the Dominican street gang Trintarios, were arrested earlier this week and charged in Guzman-Feliz's death.
They are Jose Muniz, 21, Jose Taverez, 21, Manuel Rivera, 18, Danel Fernandez, 21, Joniki Martinez, 24,Santiago Rodriguez, 24, and Kevin Alvarez, 19, and Elvin Garcia, 23.
Six of the suspects appeared in an extradition hearing on Tuesday, after which Bronx District Attorney, Darcel Clark announced that they face charges of murder, manslaughter, gang assault and assault.
The same day, hundreds of mourners descended on the bodega where the attack happened to demand 'justice for Junior'.
The sidewalk was covered in candles and other tributes to the late teen, who had dreamed of becoming a cop.
On Friday Guzman-Feliz's mother Leandra appeared in court as the first of the eight suspects, Alvarez, was indicted for second-degree murder.
The grieving mother vowed that "justice is coming".
varez - who has admitted to dragging a Guzman-Feliz out of the bodega so the rest of his crew could hack him to death - revealed in an interview Friday that he now fears for his own life in prison.
In an interview with New York Daily News Alvarez denied responsibility for the 15-year-old's death, claiming that he wasn't aware his crew was armed with knives and machetes and thought the plan was just to fight.
"I thought it was just going to be a fight when I came out the store and I turned around and saw the machetes," he said.
By the time he realized what was happening and yelled at the others to stop, it was too late, he says.
Alvarez was seen backing out of the surveillance video and isn't seen again.
He said he only found out Lesandro had died when a friend called to tell him.
In the Daily News interview Alvarez revealed he had to be transferred from Rikers Island because he was being threatened by other inmates.