Paterson New Jersey Homicide LawyersPaterson New Jersey police arrested a local resident who allegedly murdered a grocery store owner during an attempted robbery.

The tragic shooting occurred in February 2016. According to Passaic County prosecutors, the 49-year-old suspect walked into the Ellison Mini Market, which located on Ellison Street in Paterson, approached the store owner, and shouted at him to hand over cash from the store register.

At some point during the theft, the suspect allegedly shot and killed the 64-year-old store owner.

Paterson police officers later went to the store after getting a notification of gunshots being fired at the store. When police officers arrived at the scene, they found the victim unconscious and suffering from a gunshot wound.

The victim was transported to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center, where doctors tried to save his life. Tragically, the victim was pronounced dead a short time after arriving at the hospital.

The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office and the Paterson Police Department conducted a joint investigation into the homicide. Investigators were eventually able to determine the identity of the suspect.

The suspect, who resides in Paterson, NJ, was arrested and charged with numerous crimes, including first degree murder, armed robbery, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

If the suspect is eventually convicted on the most serious charges of murder, he would face significant penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3, murder is the most serious crime in the NJ Criminal Code. A conviction for first degree murder could result in life imprisonment in New Jersey State Prison, with a minimum mandatory term of incarceration of 30 years.

After being arrested and charged, the suspect was moved to the Passaic County Jail in Paterson, New Jersey. He was being held at the jail on a $1 million bail amount.

For additional information about this case, read the NJ.com article, “Man Charged in Murder of 64-Year-Old Paterson Merchant.”