Repeat Offender Suspected in NYC Deli Worker Killing Over ‘Loosie’ ID
Repeat Offender Suspected in Fatal Brooklyn Deli Stabbing Over Cigarette Dispute
An individual with a lengthy criminal history is believed to have committed a deadly stabbing during a confrontation at a Brooklyn corner store. The incident occurred on August 1 inside the Deli & Mini Market located at Hegeman and Van Siclen avenues, resulting in the death of 33-year-old Diego Sandoval Nava.
The NYPD has identified 42-year-old Oneil Millise as a person of interest. Witnesses saw him enter the store wearing dark shades and a blue-and-white striped shirt, placing a dollar on the counter. According to store surveillance, Millise approached the clerk asking for a cigarette. Offending in New York City, selling individual cigarettes—known as “loosies”—is illegal.
When the clerk refused to sell him a loosie, suspecting him of being an undercover officer, witnesses say Millise became enraged and threw a credit card machine at the clerk, threatening to kill him. Nava, the store’s employee and a father of three, stepped forward to diffuse the situation, as shown in security footage. A struggle ensued, during which Nava was stabbed multiple times before the suspect fled.
Nava was rushed to Brookdale University Hospital, but despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries. Described as a kind and helpful person by friends and coworkers, Nava had been working at the deli for at least six months, making sandwiches and taking public transportation to get to work.
The suspect, who has yet to be caught, was captured in a mugshot wearing a black hoodie. Law enforcement officials report that Millise has 24 prior arrests, including an incident in 2014 where he allegedly assaulted a fellow dollar van driver with a knife. His criminal record also includes charges for driving without a license and weapons possession.
Anyone with information about his location is urged to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS or submit tips online at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/. Tips can also be provided via Twitter @NYPDTips or in Spanish at 1-888-57-PISTA.