Posted on 08/10/2007 4:43:09 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
(CBS/AP) NEWARK -- A third suspect was arrested and charged by Essex County police in the execution-style shootings of four friends outside of a Newark elementary school, officials confirmed to CBS 2 HD.
It is not yet known who that person is or how police brought them into custody, but the Essex County Prosecutor's Office planned to announce the details during a news conference later Friday night.
Meanwhile, one of the suspects in the shootings that left three of the four victims dead was arraigned Friday morning and entered a not guilty plea. Jose Carranza, 28, who authorities say is an illegal immigrant from Peru living in Orange, is being held on $1 million bail.
Family members of the vicitms were in court for the suspect's hearing, glaring at him as the judge read the charges: three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, and other related charges.
"You don't want to know how we feel," one family member told CBS 2 HD following the 11-minute hearing.
Carranza's attorney, Felix Lopez Montalvo, declined to comment to reporters.
Carranza surrendered to Mayor Cory Booker Thursday after Booker announced during an early afternoon news conference that a murder warrant had been issued for Carranza's arrest. Less than an hour later, Montalvo called Booker to tell him he was with Carranza, who was prepared to turn himself in.
Booker also announced a 15-year-old boy was arrested Wednesday night and charged in the case, but officials would not release his identity due to his age. He's being held at a local juvenile detention center, but prosecutors are expected to try him as an adult.
Officials would not elaborate on the boy's relationship to Carranza, only saying he was an American-born citizen who was not a blood relative of Carranza's. The teen's attorney declined comment.
The pair are accused of having 18-year-old Terrance Aeriel and his 19-year-old sister Natasha Aeriel, along with their friends Iofemi Hightower, 20, and Dashon Harvey, 20, kneel down near a wall by the school's playground, before shooting them in the head at close range.
Ms. Aeriel miraculously survived the attack and helped prosecutors pick Carranza out of a photo array.
The suspects were also identified through forensics. Officials say fingerprints lifted off a beer bottle from the scene matched fingerprints in their data system.
Carranza was already facing an aggravated assault charge in a different case and had been arrested at least three times before, Booker said.
According to court records, Carranza was indicted by grand juries in New Jersey twice this year -- in April on aggravated assault and weapons charges; and in July on 31 counts which included aggravated sexual assault of a child under 13 years old and endangering the welfare of a child he had a duty to supervise.
Questions have been raised about why Carranza, who is from Peru and was residing in the country illegally, was released after the previous charges.
Booker and Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow said Thursday that additional arrests could be made. "We believe that others were involved in this heinous crime," she said. "We're looking for them.
Booker would not elaborate on how many other suspects were at large, but says law enforcement officials are actively pursuing them. "We have very storong leads. I am confident all the suspects in this case will be apprehended," he said. "I want these killers off our streets."
All four victims were students at Delaware State University, which is planning a memorial for them later this month.
The three friends will be buried Saturday in separate services.
Sounds like Hispanic gangbangers executing black kids who happened onto their “turf”. Can’t be a “hate” crime, though; no white perps. < /sarc >
Local radio reports repeat, “there is NO gang connection, police said”.
Sort of like “there is no connection to terrorism”.
No the word is that the Latinos were trying to rap the black girl, she fought them, they shot her in the face and then shot the witnesses. The girl they left for dead wasn't.
Thanks for the link.
What we have is an illegal alien who was facing felony assault and weapons charges, and got out on bail.
While out on bail, this illegal alien was arrested and charged with raping a 5 y/o child and threatening her parents. And was let out on bail again.
While this illegal alien was out on bail the second time, for multiple felonies, he now stands accused of the possible sexual assault of the lone survivor of this latest crime, her attempted murder, and the murders of her brother and friends.
Unbelievably, bail has been set again. Meanwhile, people wonder why the murder rates in the cities around here are skyrocketing. City leaders and police commissioners tell us it’s because of guns. And sheeple believe them.
I’m stunned.
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