Homicide Watch Trenton

TRENTON — Another of the suspects in the 2008 Myspace Murder was gunned down on a Trenton street, only hours before a jury announced the conviction of his co-defendant, Keith Williams, authorities said today.

The victim was identified as Brandon Edwards, aka “Sheistbub,” who is awaiting trial for his alleged role in the assassination of Arrell Bell, 20, on May 1, 2008.
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TRENTON – A jury has found Keith Williams guilty in the Myspace murder-conspiracy case, dashing defense hopes for acquittal raised by key juror questions to the judge.

Williams, who was calling himself a five-star Bloods general at age 19, now stands legally responsible for the execution of 20-year-old Arrel Bell, who took bullets behind both ears on May 1, 2008, for supposedly snitching about a gang heist the year before.
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TRENTON – Jurors in the My Space murder case on Tuesday called for read-backs of the testimony of two detectives and again watched some of the four hours of suspect Keith Williams’ talks with investigators.

So much for any thought the case against Williams was a slam-dunk in which the jurors might deliberate an hour or so.
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TRENTON – A jury deliberated only briefly yesterday about the fate of suspected murder plotter Keith Williams, following a day full of summations by the prosecutor and defense lawyer and the instructions of the judge.

Mercer County Superior Court Judge Robert Billmeier sent the jurors home as the courts were closing, after they had only about 30 minutes to talk about the case.
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A city man died after getting shot in the chest early Saturday morning, according to police.
The victim, which through various social media outlets, is Ira “ZeiRai” Charles, was walking with another man on Randall Avenue around 2:00 a.m. when two men in masks approached them. One of the suspects pulled out a handgun and told the victims to “run their pockets,” according to police.
One of the victims complied and gave up an unknown amount of money and other proceeds, while Charles allegedly hesitated when confronted with the robbers’ demands. The suspects then shot Charles once in the chest before fleeing the scene on foot. The victim was rushed to the Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he died hours later, making him the city’s ninth homicide victim on the year.
Anyone with information regarding the homicide can call the Trenton Police confidential tipline at (609) 989-3663 or the Crime Stoppers tipline at (609) 278-8477.
Those wishing to text a tip regarding the homicide can send a message labeled TCSTIPS to Trenton Crime Stoppers at 274637.

Trenton police have confirmed that they arrested a man who allegedly the driver in the drive-by shooting death of Sidique Richardson (Howlen) on Tuesday.
Robert Smith, 22, of Trenton, was arrested and charged on April 22 at TPD headquarters as an accessory to murder and weapons offenses. The case is still ongoing as police are looking for the shooter or shooters.
“He certainly did not act alone,” Lt. Mark Kieffer said of Smith.
On April 5, Richardson (Howlen), 22, died from a gunshot wound to the head as unknown individuals fired from a vehicle allegedly driven by Smith by the 100 block of Home Avenue. In that shooting, it appears that an unknown number of people fired back at the car. In the exchange of gunfire, a bystander also was shot in the leg.
According to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, he faces 30 years to life in prison, which is the same penalty as if he had fired the gun that killed Richardson (Howlen). The TPD’s Brian Egan and Det. Robert McNally of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office were the investigators in the case.
Anyone with information regarding the shootings can call the Trenton Police confidential tipline at (609) 989-3663 or the Crime Stoppers tipline at (609) 278-8477.
Those wishing to text a tip regarding the shooting can send a message labeled TCSTIPS to Trenton Crime Stoppers at 274637.

TRENTON — Arrell Bell, mistakenly suspected as a “snitch” by paranoid fellow gangsters, was executed with bullets to the back of both ears in the Trenton Myspace Murder.

Mercer County Medical Examiner Dr. Rarafat Ahmad testified at suspect Keith Williams’ trial this afternoon that both shots were fired at close range — the one from behind his right ear lodging in his left cheek.

Her gruesome disclosures came after opening arguments in which defense lawyer Mark Fury played down the importance of a video of Smith’s police interrogation that the jury will see.

See more of this story at Trentonian.com.

TRENTON – Brothers aged 13, 11 and 9 held back tears in court this morning as they faced the man who choked their mother to death and tossed her naked body in a dumpster in May of 2011.

It occurred at the sentencing of David Lopez, 29, an illegal alien from Guatemala who was sent to prison for up to 22 years for the slaying of Gladiz Polanco-Ramos, 35.
Mercer County Superior Court Judge Mark Fleming sentenced Lopez under the terms of a plea deal worked out between the Public Defenders Office and Assistant Mercer Prosecutor Stephanie Katz.
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TRENTON — Jury selection is underway in the case of the gang “five-star general” charged in the shooting murder of a rival whose hit was ordered on MySpace.

Keith Williams, 23 when charged with assassination of Arrell Bell, 20, on May 1, 2008, is on trial before Mercer County Superior Court Judge Robert C. Billmeier, who began screening jurors Monday morning.
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Police are investigating the murder of a man who was shot on Bryn Mawr Avenue Thursday.
At 7:34 p.m., police and medical personal were called to a residence at the end of Bryn Mawr near Volk Street on reports of a man shot. Authorities were directed to the backyard of a residence where they found Cornelius Boakai, 21, of Trenton, who was unresponsive, Lt. Stephen Varn said.
Bokai was rushed to the Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. He is the city’s eighth homicide victim of this year. Police are investigating the circumstances of his shooting and have not released a description of a suspect.
According to various social media websites, Boakai went by Cornelius Durant. Boakai was a student at the Mercer County Community College and was in the process of trying out as a defensive back for Gattaca Football, an unaffiliated and unaccredited post-high school football team that plays various college, junior college and prep school teams.
Gattaca coach Manuel Galarza recalled receiving a troubling phone call from one of his players informing him of Boakai’s death around 12:30 a.m. Friday morning.
“It’s a tough blow,” Galarza said.
Galarza said he first met Boaki a few months ago after he called the coach in January asking for the chance to try out for the team. In the weeks leading up to his death, Boaki began participating in the team’s spring practices and was also planning a trip to Jamaica.
“He was a wonderful kid,” Galarza said. “He grew on us, he had a big heart and we were happy to have him.”
Galarza said the team will find some way to honor Boakai in the upcoming season, be it a patch on their jerseys or in some other fashion.
The TPD’s Scott Peterson is on the case. He is being assisted by Detectives Matt Norton and Robert McNally of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
Anyone with information about the homicide can call the Trenton Police confidential tipline at (609) 989-3663 or the Crimestoppers tipline at (609) 278-8477.
Those wishing to text a tip regarding the homicide can send a message labeled TCSTIPS to Trenton Crime Stoppers at 274637.