The disgruntled tenant accused of shooting and killing the 37-year-old super of a Bronx building has orphaned his victim’s children.
Mount Vernon, Westchester County, resident Ryan Hines had been raising his children, a 12-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl, as a single father following the death of their mother, Ashley McDuffie, who was beaten to death by her boyfriend in 2016, family members said.
Now, in the wake of his brutal murder on Wednesday, Hines’ children are struggling with the grief of losing another parent to senseless violence, the victim’s sister told the Daily News.
“They lost their mother tragically, and now they lost their father tragically,” said 51-year-old Deshawn Hines. “They’re not good, not good at all.”
Cops Thursday arrested Jimmy Avila in the slaying that allegedly took place during an ongoing argument over access to the building’s backyard. He is facing murder, attempted murder and multiple weapons possession charges. His arraignment was pending late Thursday.
Hines was speaking with a tenant on the first floor of a College Ave. residential building near 170th St., where he was employed as superintendent, when Avila burst out of his apartment and opened fire around 8:30 a.m., witnesses and police told The News.
The gunman struck the other tenant, another first-floor resident, in the hallway, with the bullet passing through his arm into his chest, cops said. That victim’s wife, who identified her wounded husband as Orlando Nieves, dragged him into cover through the doorway of their nearby apartment, she said.
“My husband got hit twice,” Nieves’ spouse, who gave her name only as Ebony, said. “He was ducking down, and I was pulling him through the door.”
As Nieves and his wife sought refuge, Hines ran for his life with the gunman pursuing him onto the street outside as he continued firing, Ebony said. The killer struck Hines in the chest, cops said. Paramedics rush the wounded super and Nieves to Lincoln Hospital, where Nieves was expected to survive. Hines could not be saved.
Hines raised his children as a single father following the tragic death of McDuffie, their then-27-year-old mother. The pair had separated and were seeing other people when McDuffie was savagely beaten by a bouncer she met through an online dating app, Jason Myers, who confessed to murdering the mother of two and dumping her body in a stretch of Bronx woodland near Seton Falls Park, Raynard Hines said.
Ryan Hines suffered depression and wrestled with guilt after learning his children’s mother had been killed, his brother said.
“He went through a small phase of depression, trying to find himself. I think he kind of took blame for that,” said Raynard Hines. “They were younger, frolicking with girls and they broke up. She was dating, he was dating. She ended up getting hurt.”
The couple’s children, ages 3 and 6 at the time, stayed with their grandmother as their father collected himself. When he was ready, Hines took them into his home and rededicated himself to fatherhood, his family said.
“It took a toll on him, but he snapped back out of that,” the victim’s brother said. “He ended up having both his kids. It made him happier. It gave him purpose.”
“It made him step up as a father. He knew what he had to do,” said Deshawn Hines. “He was a good dad. He always made sure his kids did their homework, made sure my nephew did extracurricular activities. His son did football, and he would always be there every game to cheer him on.”
Ryan Hines enjoyed basketball, fishing, gardening and baking, with a special fondness for making cakes and cooking dinners for his kids, his sister said.
“He loved cooking and baking, especially cakes. Last Thanksgiving, he made his own Thanksgiving dinner,” said Deshawn Hines. “He took a lot of pride in that.”
In the wake of her brother’s death, the victim’s sister said she is torn between sympathy and hatred for his killer.
“I hope he gets the help he needs, but he doesn’t understand what he did. He took away two kids’ father. He took away my brother. It’s just not fair at all,” said Deshawn Hines. “I just hope he suffers, and I hope he gets the help he needs. I’m all over the place with it. It’s not fair. Regardless of what was going on, he didn’t have to do what he did. He took a life, and he should serve life as well.”
Ironically, the victim’s brother said Hines was looking forward to start a new job Wednesday evening. Family members told The News that Hines had complained to family about his interactions with Avila and that the situation led to friction with Hines’ employer.
He was tragically killed on his last day working at the building on College Ave.
“That was his last day working for that landlord. He found another job for another housing complex and he started at 5 o’clock that evening,” the victim’s brother said. “That was his last day. That s— is weird. Random act of violence. It’s crazy.”
Police have also connected a third victim to the shooting after a 59-year-old man admitted himself to BronxCare Health System with a gunshot wound to the buttocks. Witnesses said he was struck on the street as the gunman fired on Hines.
