WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Justice moved closer for the Raimondi family Thursday, nearly a year after the murder of 15-year-old Michael Raimondi, a loss that shattered a family and united a community in grief.
Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace announced that Fernando Jimenez Meza, 41, who was living in Yorktown Heights and was reported at the time of his arrest to be in the U.S. illegally, pleaded guilty Oct. 23 to murdering 15-year-old Michael Raimondi at the Raimondi family home in Somers in 2024, as well as attempting to murder Raimondi’s brother and mother and committing other related felonies.
After accepting the guilty pleas, Judge George Fufidio promised Jimenez Meza a sentence of 25 years to life in state prison on the murder charge and 12 years in state prison on the attempted murder charges, to run consecutively, for a total sentence of 37 years to life.
Jimenez Meza pleaded guilty to every count in the indictment, including second-degree murder, a Class A felony; two counts of second-degree attempted murder, Class B felonies; two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, Class C felonies; and two counts of second-degree menacing, Class A misdemeanors.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 18.
“Almost one year ago to this day, the Raimondi family suffered an unspeakable tragedy they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. The defendant stole a son, brother, cousin and friend, leaving them with only the blessing of his memory,” Cacace said in an Oct. 23 press release. “Michael Raimondi was a beautiful soul, and the outpouring of support and love from the community is a testament to his strong character even at the young age of 15. I hope these guilty pleas and the substantial sentence the defendant is expected to receive provide the Raimondis with a measure of closure, and my office will be here to support them through every phase of this process.”
On Oct. 28, 2024, following an argument at the Raimondi home in Somers, Jimenez Meza left the residence at the Crossroads housing complex on Route 6 in Baldwin Place, retrieved a revolver from his car, returned to the home, and shot Christina Raimondi.
After shooting Christina, Jimenez Meza went into her sons’ bedroom and shot her two sons, Michael, 15, and Matthew, 13, at the time. Michael died from his injuries.
Jimenez Meza was captured the following morning after an extensive manhunt in Putnam Valley.
In the wake of the tragedy, a GoFundMe campaign was set up to help with the costs of medical care and funeral expenses. To date, it has raised over $190,000. A November 2024 vigil brought hundreds of Somers residents together to rally in support of the family.
In March of this year, Christina joined Assemblyman Matt Slater and other local officials and community partners as he introduced a bill to ensure safe housing transfers for domestic violence victims. At the time, Slater said that as he and community partners worked to help Christina get back on her feet, they “discovered that the housing laws here in New York State don’t do enough to help victims of domestic violence. They don’t do enough to make sure that victims of domestic violence and their families are not only restabilized but are put on a path for recovery and put on a path to live a full life.”
He then called Christina “arguably one of the most courageous individuals that we could possibly know.”
In a July 2025 update on GoFundMe, Christina wrote that she had purchased her first home in Putnam County. While she had hoped to remain in Westchester so Matthew could stay in the Somers Central School district, it was not financially possible. He is expected to remain in Blythedale Children’s Hospital’s Day Hospital Program, which is scheduled to continue through the fall of 2026.
“This next chapter is scary and uncertain, but I’m also hopeful it will bring healing,” she wrote in the July 24 update. “I truly couldn’t have come this far without all of your support—emotionally, practically, and financially. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
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