Levonza Thompson | 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.

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.

Quran Brittingham found dead Monday near footpath to D&R Canal

Penny Ray — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 15:40:42 -0500

The city has now experienced five homicides in less than three weeks.

Around 8 a.m. Monday, police found 21-year-old Quran Brittingham dead after officers were dispatched to the intersection of Bruce Park Drive and Edgewood Avenue to investigate a report of “unknown trouble.”

Quran Brittingham

Police say Brittingham was lying on a footpath leading to the Delaware and Raritan Canal showing signs of injury. The type of injury has not been disclosed at this time, but police confirmed that Brittingham was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death is pending an autopsy scheduled for later this week, according to prosecutors investigating the case.

Brittingham is the second person to be found dead near that portion of the D&R Canal this year. Aaron Lewis, 23, of Hamilton, was found shot and killed near that location in April.

After an August and September with zero murders, this year's homicide toll is now 28.

On Halloween, police found 36-year-old Levonza Thompson outside of Oakland Park Apartments suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Thompson, who is the uncle of Naquan Ellis who was shot and killed in June, was later pronounced at the hospital. Iyeesha Kia Thomas and Silas Johnson were also found shot and killed last week.

According to prosecutors, no arrests have been made in connection with the deaths of Brittingham, Thompson, Thomas nor Johnson.

Anyone with information about either murder is asked to contact the Mercer County Homicide Task Force at 609-989-6406. Or, call the Trenton police confidential tip line at 609-989-3663.

Tipsters may also call the Trenton Crime Stoppers tip line at 609-278-8477. Those wishing to text a tip can send a message labeled TCSTIPS to Trenton Crime Stoppers at 274637.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with a different photograph of Brittingham at the request of his family.

Authorities investigating Halloween homicide in city's West Ward

Scott Ketterer — Sat, 01 Nov 2014 10:10:40 -0400

A Philadelphia man is dead after being shot near the Oakland Park Apartments Housing Complex on Coolidge Avenue around 11 p.m. on Friday, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office confirmed.

According to scanner reports, police arrived on the scene to find a man unresponsive after he had been shot. The man suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead, according to prosecutors investigating the case.

The victim has been identified as 36-year-old Levonza G. Thompson of Philadelphia.

(Left) Naquan Ellis and (Right) Levonza Thompson (Facebook photo)

Thompson is the uncle of Naquan Ellis, according to Ellis' obituary. In June, Ellis, 23, was shot in the chest at the North 25 Housing Complex off of Calhoun Street and later succumbed to his wounds at the hospital.

A photo posted by Thompson to his own Facebook page shows he and Ellis together with the caption "[r]est peacefully nephew."

On the evening of Naquan's death, police arrested Grady A. Blue III and charged him with murder and weapons offenses in connection with the slaying. Blue is being held on $1 million cash bail.

So far, there is no suspect information available in regards to Levonza's death, and the circumstances that preceded the murder are not immediately known.

Levonza Thompson (Facebook photo)

Thompson's death is the third reported homicide this week after Iyeesha Kia Thomas was found shot to death in Blaine Alley and Silas Johnson, a Burlington man, was gunned down Wednesday morning near Market Street and the Route 1 overpass.

No arrests have been reported in either incident.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Mercer County Homicide Task Force at (609) 989-6406. Or use the Trenton police confidential tip line at (609) 989-3663.

Tipsters may also call the Trenton Crime Stoppers tipline at (609) 278-8477. Those wishing to text a tip can send a message labeled TCSTIPS to Trenton Crime Stoppers at 274637.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that Grady Blue III is no longer in Mercer County Correction Center. He is now serving time in state prison for charges unrelated to the death of Naquan Ellis.