Hamilton man gets 16 years for Chambersburg slaying

The triggerman who shot and killed Emilio Lopez during a 2012 robbery in Trenton’s Chambersburg neighborhood has been sentenced to 16 years of incarceration.

Emmanuel Cruz

Emmanuel Cruz

Emmanuel Cruz, 32, of Hamilton, is currently booked at the Central Reception and Assignment Facility in Ewing Township and must serve 85 percent of the sentence behind bars before being eligible for parole, records show.

Cruz pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated manslaughter last month, admitting he fatally shot the 34-year-old victim near the intersection of Kent and Division streets on Nov. 16, 2012.

Cruz was the fourth and final defendant arrested in the case. He took responsibility for the homicide, while the original three co-defendants pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery. Read more

Convicted murderer gets 55 years for slaying Ciony Kirkman in 2016 Trenton shooting

The convicted murderer who shot and killed 16-year-old Ciony Kirkman in a wild April 2016 gunplay incident has finally been punished for his deadly crimes.

Peter Charles Jr. (left) has been convicted of murdering 16-year-old Ciony Kirkman (right) in a brazen April 2016 Trenton shooting. (SUBMITTED PHOTOS)

Peter Charles Jr. (left) has been convicted of murdering 16-year-old Ciony Kirkman (right) in a brazen April 2016 Trenton shooting. (SUBMITTED PHOTOS)

Peter Charles Jr., 20, of Trenton, received a 55-year prison sentence Friday as Superior Court Judge Darlene Pereksta hammered him for having no remorse.

“There has not been any sincere remorse,” she told the defendant from the bench. “You are sorry for yourself and maybe your family. That is not true remorse.”

Pereksta cited Charles’s prior history of violence as a juvenile, his prior history of unchecked drug use and his lack of employment history as aggravating factors. “There were offenses of violence in your past,” she said. “You’ll evolve. I don’t know if you’ll mature.” Read more

Killer gets 10 years in Trenton Halloween homicide case

Donte Jones

Donte Jones

Self-confessed killer Donte Jones is serving a state prison sentence for slaying 36-year-old Levonza Thompson in cold blood.

A Superior Court judge sentenced Jones to 10 years of incarceration on April 12 for the first-degree aggravated manslaughter. Then Jones must serve five additional years of incarceration for being in unlawful possession of a handgun in another case unrelated to the homicide, records show.

Jones, 28, of Trenton, admits he shot and killed Thompson on Oct. 31, 2014. The Halloween homicide occurred in Trenton’s West Ward. Read more

Trenton killers plead guilty, go to prison for slaying Devahje Bing

The co-defendants who shot and killed 19-year-old Devahje Bing in 2013 are now state prisoners.

Tahj Laws, 22, and Kareem McNeil, 28, have each pleaded guilty for their roles in the homicide and are serving hard time in state prison, records show.

(From left) Tahj Laws and Kareem McNeil

(From left) Tahj Laws and Kareem McNeil

A Superior Court judge formally punished the duo last month, sentencing Laws to 18 years of incarceration and McNeil to 10 years behind bars.

The shooting occurred about 5 p.m. May 25, 2013, at Trenton’s Oakland Park Apartments following a verbal argument between Laws and Bing. Laws escalated the conflict by obtaining a handgun from McNeil, who willingly handed over the weapon, authorities said. Read more

Murder rocks Bellevue Avenue in Trenton Wednesday evening

TRENTON — A city man was gunned down Wednesday evening on the first block of Bellevue Ave and pronounced dead shortly after he arrived at a local hospital, police said

Sources say the victim was shot several times and that the Mercer County Homicide Task Force was investigating, but no official confirmation was available about details.

Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed late Wednesday night that 18-year-old Taquan Ellerbe was found in the rear of a building on the first block of Bellevue Ave after police responded to a 9-1-1 call for a male shot and activation of the Shotspotter system.

Ellerbe was transported to Capital Health Fuld for “several gunshot wounds” and was pronounced deceased just before 6 p.m.

Officials said that the man’s family was at the hospital and informed of his death.
Read more

Slain Trenton rapper Jamar Tucker dies by gun violence, body found in Pennsylvania

Jamar Tucker

Jamar Tucker

Jamar Tucker, an up-and-coming rapper from Trenton, was shot and killed on his birthday, The Trentonian has learned.

Tucker, who turned 36 on Friday, is the deceased gunshot victim whose body was found in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, authorities confirmed.

The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office says Tucker was found dead in the early morning hours of Friday in the 300 block of South Bellevue Avenue. An autopsy conducted by the Bucks County Coroner’s Office determined Tucker died of a gunshot wound, authorities said Saturday in a news release. Read more

3 men charged in murder of Trenton teen Shaela Johnson

A brutal murder case has finally been solved.

Three defendants have been charged in connection with the November 2018 slaying of 19-year-old Shaela Johnson and the subsequent torching of the suspected getaway vehicle.

Nazier Francois (left) and Keith Hamilton are two of the three defendants charged in connection with the November 2018 murder of 19-year-old Trenton woman Shaela Johnson.

Nazier Francois (left) and Keith Hamilton are two of the three defendants charged in connection with the November 2018 murder of 19-year-old Trenton woman Shaela Johnson.

Nazier “Fredo” Francois and Watson “Boone” George have each been charged with first-degree accomplice liability felony murder while the third defendant, Keith S. Hamilton, has been charged with second-degree conspiracy to commit aggravated arson and fourth-degree conspiracy to destroy physical evidence.

Francois, 20, of Trenton, and George, 19, of Ewing, are accused of being the gunmen who shot and killed Johnson in broad daylight. The victim was shot at least 14 times by two gunmen who sprayed up the 800 block of Stuyvesant Avenue outside of a deli around 2:15 p.m. Nov. 27, 2018. She was on probation at the time of her violent death.  Read more

Trenton man arrested for for 2018 daylight murder of 19-year-old Shaela Johnson

Nazier Francois

Nazier Francois

TRENTON — A city man has been arrested for the murder of 19-year-old Shaela Johnson.

Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office announced Friday that Nazier Francois, of Chambers Street, is charged with murder and numerous other offenses, including attempted murder, conspiracy, aggravated assault, aggravated arson, weapons and tampering with evidence, related to the November 27, 2018 shooting death of Johnson.

The daylight killing of Johnson shocked the city as surveillance video showed two men jump out of a vehicle and gun down a woman, later identified as Johnson, in front of a deli on the 800 block of Stuyvesant Ave.Read more

Convicted killer gets 47 years in Trenton murder case, vows to appeal

Edward Kevin Nock (contributed photo)

Edward Kevin Nock (contributed photo)

Convicted murderer Isaac Grey smiled and blew kisses Friday after a judge had sentenced him to more than 40 years of incarceration.

Despite being convicted of stabbing and killing Edward Nock, the defendant declared he is not the perpetrator who had attacked the victim at knifepoint.

“Your honor, I am no bad guy,” he told the court on Friday. “I am innocent, your honor. I didn’t do it, but I do take blame for letting other individuals in the house and letting it get out of hand.” Read more

Trenton homicide trial ends with murder conviction, justice for Mooky Johnson

The man who shot and killed 26-year-old Jermaine “Mooky” Johnson in an April 2016 broad daylight execution has been convicted.

Jamar McCoy

Jamar McCoy

Jamar McCoy, 35, of Ewing, has been found guilty of murder and weapons offenses in connection with the brazen crime.

A trial jury handed down the verdict on March 14, exposing McCoy to decades of prison time when he is sentenced later this year.

Johnson, a city resident, was shot at least five times while sitting inside a Nissan Murano that was parked in a driveway on Hillcrest Avenue in Trenton’s West Ward near Cadwalader Park April 29, 2016. He later died at the hospital. Read more