An off-duty Mercer County Corrections officer was shot and killed early Sunday morning at Baldassari’s Regency in Chambersburg. It’s a death that marks Trenton’s 20th homicide of 2012.
“It was an act of a coward, shooting into a crowd of people,” Sgt. Tony Manzo, who was working security at Baldassari’s while off duty the night of the shooting, said. “We will bring this coward to justice.”
Carl Batie, 26, a Trenton native, was on the balcony of Baldassari’s on 126 Morris Ave. around 1:15 a.m. when shots were fired from the parking lot upwards toward the balcony. Manzo, who was working security along with officer Jason Woodhead, were working near the front steps checking ID’s and collecting money, said Batie was a bystander and that the shooter was likely aiming for one of Baldassari’s private security guards.
“If you’re down there, you can’t make anyone out except for security because they had ‘security’ shirts on,” Manzo said.
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From the Oct. 23 edition of The Trentonian:
James William Turner, 18, affectionately referred to as “Demi,” entered into God’s loving care on Oct. 14, 2012.
James resided in Trenton all of his life and was a graduate of the Trenton public schools. A machine operator by trade, James had many talents and hobbies. James had a God-given talent to fix nearly anything. He had a love and passion for his most constant hobby “Wheels and Motors.”
View the rest of Turner’s obituary here. Turner died from a gunshot wound to the head on Oct. 14 on the 300 block of Reservoir Street.
Police have confirmed that John Montalvo, 22, died of a gunshot wound to the head Saturday night at Capital Health Regional Medical Center.
Montalvo and another man were shot Friday evening on the 300 block of Ardmore Avenue. He initially survived the gunshot and remained in critical condition until he succumbed to his injuries sometime between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday.
The other man remains in stable condition with a gunshot wound to the hip.
Police say two men fired three shots at Montalvo and the other victim at around 5:45 p.m. on Friday.
Montalvo fell in between a dark green SUV and a white car before he was taken away by paramedics.
The other victim’s brother attempted to drive him to the hospital himself, but they were stopped by police, and paramedics took him to the hospital.
Anyone with any information can anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at (609) 278-8477, texting information with the keyword “TCSTIPS” to 274637 or submit tips online at trentoncrimestoppers.com.
TRENTON — For the second time in five days, police are investigating a city homicide.
On Sunday night, James Turner, 18, of Trenton was shot to death on the 300 block of Reservoir Street.
“Someone just ran up to him and blew his head off,” a resident on the block said.
James Turner
Last Wednesday, Benjamin DaVila Jr. was shot in a drive by shooting on the 100 block of Passaic Street, adding to the recent surge of homicides.
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TRENTON — A Pennington man is being held without bail for ignoring a court order to check himself into an alcohol rehabilitation clinic after a 2010 crash left a city employee dead.
Keith Costill
Keith Costill, 57, a former
N.J. deputy attorney general, was sentenced in June 2012 to five years of probation after he pled guilty to assault by automobile, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s office.
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TRENTON — A city man accused of shooting a Hamilton resident to death was indicted on Friday for murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon.
Kevin Wesley
Kevin Wesley, 28, allegedly shot Victor Thompson in the neck while the victim was sitting in his car on Carver Lane on Nov. 18, 2010, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s office.
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Police responded to reports of gunshots in the 300 block of Reservoir Street around 7:43 p.m on Sunday.
Reports said that a male was shot in the head. The shooting occurred between Wilson and Marion Streets in the City’s West Ward.
Police have not released further details on the shooting or the victim, but police sources confirmed the homicide at 8 p.m.
Follow our continuing coverage of this story here on Homicide Watch and at Trentonian.com.
TRENTON — Gloria Gonzales was inside her home on the 100 block of Passiac Street when she heard the shots ring out Wednesday night. She knew her grandson was sitting on her porch smoking a cigarette and called for him to come back inside.
Benjamin “Big Ben” DaVila
Benjamin DaVila Jr., 23, answered the call and went back inside the house. DaVila Jr.’s grandfather, Luis Gonzales, called 911 after seeing that his grandson had been shot in the torso.
Luis Gonzales held his grandson’s hand until paramedics arrived, Gloria Gonzalez said. The man who went by “Big Ben” was declared the city’s 17th homicide of 2012 at 8:47 p.m. at the Capital Health Regional Medical Center.
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A city man was killed in a drive-by shooting last night, becoming Trenton’s 17th homicide victim of 2012.
Police said they were patrolling near Calhoun and Spring Streets at about 8:21 p.m. when they heard numerous shots fired coming from Passaic Street. On the 100 block of Passiac, officers found Benjamin DaVila Jr., 23, of Trenton, with a gunshot wound to the torso. The victim was believed to be walking down the street when the passenger of an unknown vehicle opened fire, police said.
DaVila was taken to the Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 8:47 p.m.
Police are investigating to determine if DaVila was the target of the shooting.
