A Paterson NJ man charged with first degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a pizzeria worker recently made a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter.
The homicide occurred on September 8, 2014. The suspect fatally shot the victim outside Big Chris s Pizzeria, which is located at 106 Park Avenue in Paterson, New Jersey.
The suspect went to the pizza shop and got into an argument with the victim, who worked there. At some point, the verbal altercation turned physical and the victim reportedly punched the suspect in the face.
A few hours after this encounter, the suspect returned to the restaurant with a firearm. The suspect allegedly used the weapon, a 380-caliber handgun, to shoot six bullets in the direction of the victim. According to Passaic County medical examiners, the victim was struck by at least one bullet in his lower back.
A friend of the victim drove him to a nearby hospital, but doctors were unable to save his life. The victim, who lived in Paterson NJ, was just 24 years old when he died.
Meanwhile, the suspect reportedly fled the scene of the shooting and evaded capture for more than a week. He was eventually apprehended at a motel in Pennsylvania and brought back to Passaic County, New Jersey.
Passaic County prosecutors initially charged the suspect with first degree murder, a crime that carries a potential penalty of life imprisonment. However, the suspect avoided trial by arriving at a plea agreement with the Passaic County Prosecutor s Office. The suspect pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter charges and will be sentenced to a maximum term of incarceration of 20 years in NJ State Prison.
The 27-year-old suspect will have to appear in Passaic County Superior Court, located in Paterson, on January 20, 2017 so that he can be formally sentenced.
For further information about this case, access the NJ.com article, “Man Who Shot at Pizza Worker 6 Times Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter.”
