Donte Jones | Homicide Watch Trenton

Killer gets 10 years in Trenton Halloween homicide case

Sulaiman Abdur-Rahman — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 22:32:04 -0400

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.

Police found Thompson lying on the ground in the 200 block of Coolidge Avenue suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Police recovered 10 shell casings and a live round from the crime scene, and Thompson later died at the hospital, authorities said.

Jones was out on bail on weapons offenses at the time of the shooting, records show. He posted 10 percent of $50,000 cash bail on April 25, 2014, and then killed Thompson several months later.

Originally charged with murder and weapons offenses, Jones pleaded guilty Feb. 14 to aggravated manslaughter. He received 1,617 days of jail credit for being in custody from Nov. 7, 2014, to April 11, 2019.

Jones is currently incarcerated at South Woods State Prison and is scheduled to be released in 2023, according to the New Jersey Department of Corrections.

Superior Court Judge Robert Bingham II sentenced Jones April 12 for his crimes in the homicide and unrelated weapons possession cases. In addition to confessing to manslaughter, he pleaded guilty to second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun in the other case, admitting he unlawfully packed heat in Trenton on April 18, 2014.

The homicide victim Thompson was the uncle of 23-year-old Naquan Ellis who was shot and killed in June 2014 at the North 25 Housing complex off of Calhoun Street.

Attorney for accused Trenton man suggest cops misidentified killer

Isaac Avilucea — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 17:03:17 -0400

A wailing woman denounced a Trenton man accused of shooting a Philadelphia man to death on Halloween in 2014.

Donte Jones

The woman, who identified herself as the sister of slain 36-year-old Levonza Thompson, shouted as she walked out of court Monday that she knows accused killer Donte Jones fatally shot her brother.

“That b---- killed my brother, man,” she said, wiping tears from her eyes. “We keep coming her for nothing.”

Police have said Thompson was shot multiple times after he and Jones struggled. Jones was found at a home on the first block of Laurel Place, hiding under a pile of clothes in a third-floor attic, prosecutors said.

The woman grew frustrated after Jones’ attorney suggested he plans to file court papers challenging a crucial witness identification of Jones as the assailant.

Defense attorney Mark Fury told a judge that police may not have filed proper procedure when they showed a security guard a picture of his client.

Levonza Thompson (Facebook photo)

The security guard didn’t know Jones by name but recognized his face from working in the area of the murder, in the courtyard of the Oakland Park Apartments on the 200 block of Coolidge Avenue, for at least seven months, Assistant Prosecutor Skylar Weissman said.

But Fury suggested that police did not follow protocol after they got surveillance that allegedly showed the killer and showed only a single photo of Jones to the security guard. He said police should have used a photo array and the identification of Jones may have been unduly suggestive.

Judge Robert Billmeier must hold a hearing to determine whether the ID was legitimate.

Jones, who is being held in lieu of $1 million cash, has his next court appearance Dec. 19.

With bail reform coming, Mercer judge anxious to move murder cases

Isaac Avilucea — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 16:46:55 -0400

Anticipating the impact New Jersey’s bail reform will have on currently jailed defendants, a Mercer County judge said he was anxious to get the murder cases of two men to trial before next year.

The men, Donte Jones and Ronald Smith, are each charged with separate slayings.

Jones is charged with fatally shooting 36-year-old Levonza Thompson with a 9mm handgun in the courtyard of the Oakland Park Apartments on the 200 block of Coolidge Avenue on Halloween night 2014. He has so far rejected a plea deal offer that would send him to prison for 33 years.

Donte Jones

Smith, who is serving an unrelated prison sentence, is accused of killing 27-year-old Kevin Thomas in 2006. He also has so far rejected prosecutors’ plea offer that would require him to spend 27 years in prison for aggravated manslaughter.

Judge Robert Billmeier said at status hearings for both men Monday he wants to attempt to get the cases scheduled for trial before the end of the year.
In 2017, New Jersey will undergo a massive change as part of bail reform intended to unclog the state’s jails of low-level offenders awaiting trial because they cannot afford to post bail.

The law will also expedite trials for higher-risk defendants by guaranteeing they are tried within six months of being indicted.

The state is bracing for the change, and officials are expected to meet this month to discuss how it will impact Mercer County, which has one of the state’s worst backlog of criminal cases.

The judge reminded Smith and Jones that while they have been incarcerated for lengthy periods while awaiting trial, defendants in one murder case have been behind bars for five years while awaiting trial.

Both men are represented by defense attorney Mark Fury.

Fury said he anticipates filing motions in Smith’s case, including for bail reconsideration and a motion to dismiss based on the age of the murder case.
Smith has been held on $750,000 since he was served with the charges in the 2006 homicide while he was behind bars.

He is accused of gunning down Thomas while he was a passenger in a vehicle stopped at a street light at the corner of East State and Chambers streets in September 2006.

Authorities said witnesses came forward who identified Smith as the gunman, which helped them solve the cold case.

Ronald C. Smith

Smith, a notorious crime figure in Trenton, was convicted as part of Operation Capital City, a drug takedown that netted high-ranking members of the Gangster Killer Bloods, led by Bernard “Petey Black” Green, in 2010.

His current sentence ends January 2017.

Jones has multiple cases that need to be tried. He was out on bail for weapons charges when he was arrested and charged with murder.

Fury told the judge at the hearing that “nothing stands between us and plea cut off.”

Jones is expected back in court June 22, while Smith returns to court June 24.

Defendant offered plea deal in Halloween 2014 slaying

Isaac Avilucea — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 21:16:15 -0500

Donte Jones

Supporters for a slain Philadelphia man wept openly in a courtroom Monday when prosecutors offered alleged killer Donte Jones a plea deal that calls for him to serve 33 years in state prison for aggravated manslaughter.

Jones, 24, of Trenton, is charged with fatally shooting 36-year-old Levonza Thompson with a 9mm handgun in the courtyard of the Oakland Park Apartments on the 200 block of Coolidge Avenue on Halloween night 2014.

Police have said Thompson was shot multiple times after he and Jones struggled. He was rushed to a hospital where he died a short time later.

Jones was found at a home on the first block of Laurel Place, hiding under a pile of clothes in a third-floor attic, prosecutors said.

Jones was out on bail on a weapons charge at the time of the murder, prosecutors have said, and has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The plea deal calls for Jones to plead guilty to aggravated manslaughter as well as a weapons charge. He would be required to serve 28 years in prison for Thompson's death and another five years on top of that for the weapons charge, Assistant Prosecutor Michael Grillo said.

Two of Thompson's supporters, presumably family members, did not take kindly to the offer.

A woman had tears streaming down her face as she said Jones should get "an eye for an eye. He deserves death."

She and another man met with prosecutors after the status hearing to express disapproval for the plea offer.

Jones is being held in lieu of $1 million cash-only and is expected back in court in May.

Trenton man indicted in connection with Halloween homicide

Penny Ray — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 12:50:34 -0400

Donte Jones

A city man accused in connection with a Halloween homicide has been indicted by a grand jury.

Donte Jones, 24, is charged with first-degree murder and related weapons offenses in connection with the shooting death of 36-year-old Levonza Thompson.

Around 11 p.m. on October 31, police found Thompson lying on the ground in the 200 block of Coolidge Avenue suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Police recovered 10 shell casings and a live round from the crime scene, and Thompson later died at the hospital.

Witnesses reportedly told police that Thompson was involved in a struggle in the Oakland Park Apartments courtyard area when Jones allegedly pulled a handgun and fired multiple shots. Jones was arrested about a week after the murder and charged in connection with Thompson’s death. Prosecutors say police found Jones hiding under a pile of clothes in the third-floor attic of a home located in the first block of Laurel Place. Jones was out on bail on weapons charges at the time of the shooting, according to prosecutors in the case.

Naquan Ellis (left) and Levonza Thompson. (Facebook photo)

Jones remains in the Mercer County Correction Center on $1 million bail.

Thompson was the uncle of 23-year-old Naquan Ellis who was shot and killed in June 2014 at the North 25 Housing complex off of Calhoun Street.

Bail stays at $1M for Trenton man accused of Halloween homicide

Isaac Avilucea — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 12:57:33 -0500

The Trenton man implicated in a Halloween homicide of a Philadelphia man was out on bail on weapons charges at the time of the shooting, prosecutors said.

Donte Jones

Donte Jones, 23, allegedly opened fire and killed 36-year-old Levonza Thompson with a 9mm handgun in the courtyard of the Oakland Park Apartments at 220 Coolidge Avenue, prosecutors said. Police found Thompson suffering from multiple gun shots wounds after he and Jones were involved in a struggle. He was rushed to a hospital where he died a short time later.

Mercer County Assistant Prosecutor Lew Korngut said Thursday at a bail hearing that police recovered 10 shell casings and a live round from the scene. Korngut said a witness in close proximity of the shooting identified Jones as the shooter. Another witness reviewed surveillance footage of the shooting and identified Jones as the gunman based off clothing and mannerisms, Korngut said.

Authorities tracked Jones to a home on the first block of Laurel Place, where he was found hiding under a pile of clothes in a third-floor attic, according to Korngut. Korngut said Jones told police he was at the scene but denied shooting Thompson. He said he fled after hearing gun shots and implicated a man he saw standing with a group of four other people at the scene of the shooting. But he told police he didn’t get a good look at the shooter and couldn’t identify him.

Jamie Kohl, the attorney representing Jones, argued her client was entitled to lower bail because he doesn’t have a prior criminal history and police hadn’t recovered a gun. She asked Judge Pedro Jimenez for bail to be reduced to $250,000, saying her client, a lifelong Trenton resident with community ties, is not a flight risk.

But Jimenez ordered bail be maintained at $1 million cash-only. Jones is expected back in court Jan. 5.

Arrest made in Halloween Homicide, alleged killer found hiding under pile of clothes

Scott Ketterer — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 18:43:04 -0500

Authorities announced on Friday evening that police arrested Donte Jones, 23, of Trenton in connection with the murder of Levonza G. Thompson, 36, of Philadelphia.

According to the Mercer County Prosecutor's office, the 23 year-old was discovered hiding under a pile of clothes in the third floor attic of a home in the first block of Laurel Place.

Thompson was gunned down in the 200 block of Coolidge Avenue around 11:05 p.m. on Halloween. He was rushed to Capital Health Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead a short time later, the prosecutor's office said in the release.

The prosecutor’s office said witnesses reported Thompson had been involved in a struggle in the Oakland Park Apartments courtyard area when Jones allegedly pulled a handgun and fired multiple shots.

Jones was arrested Friday morning by members of the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force in a home on the first block of Laurel Place. He is facing murder and weapons charges and his bail has been set at $1 million cash only.

Thompson was the uncle of 23-year-old Naquan Ellis who was shot in June at the North 25 Housing Complex off of Calhoun Street. Ellis died at the hospital.

Jones’ arrest comes just one day after authorities charged Randy Kareem Washington, 33, in connection with the murders of 43-year-old George Jamison and 64-year-old Silas Johnson. He is also charged in connection with five armed robberies that occurred in Trenton between July and October.

Thompson was one of five people slain in a 10-day period, two of those occurring in less than 24-hours. Quran Brittingham was found dead on Monday, and hours later police responded to the 1000 block of South Broad Street to find Rodney Burke, 48, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Burke later died at St. Francis Medical Center.

Those homicides remain under investigation.