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Inwood Man Charged With Homicide Now a Suspect in the Unsolved Murder of a Popular DJ

By Carla Zanoni | May 19, 2010 12:57am | Updated on May 19, 2010 6:13pm
Popular DJ Carlos Blaze was gunned down in a lobby on Academy Street in Inwood on Dec. 7, 2006.
Popular DJ Carlos Blaze was gunned down in a lobby on Academy Street in Inwood on Dec. 7, 2006.
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DNAinfo/ My Space djcarlblazetribute

By Carla Zanoni

DNAinfo Reporter/ Producer

INWOOD — An alleged gang member from Inwood recently charged in the shooting death of one man and injury of another is also a suspect in the unsolved murder of a popular Bronx DJ named Blaze, the New York Post reported Monday.

Zarnoff Taylor, 25, was one of 17 people arrested in a sting in April breaking up a cocaine and ecstasy drug ring run by two rival gangs who were working together in the area.

DJ Blaze, born Carlos Rivera in Washington Heights, was killed in the same area on Dec. 7, 2006 when he was shot 13 times after stopping to visit friends.

Rivera’s large, $20,000, gold- and diamond-studded chain with the letters "CB" was missing when his body was found, according to the Post. Police said they believed his killer may have known he would be in the area wearing expensive jewelry at the time.

A police spokesman would not confirm whether Taylor is currently a suspect in the case.

Taylor was charged on April 22 for the murder and attempted murder of Jonathan Torres and Juan Quinones and is currently in custody, police said.

On April 16, Torres and Quinones were dumped from a 2001 Dodge Caravan in the Bronx. The two had been shot execution-style.

Torres died. Quinones survived, but was badly injured, police said.