10th and 11th homicides of 2015 occur in township

IRVINGTON, NJ — The township recently recorded its 10th and 11th homicides of the year.

The 11th homicide occurred on Thursday, Nov. 5. Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura announced that day the Crimestoppers program is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in the 10th homicide, which occurred at a gas station on the corner of Union and Stuyvesant avenues on Monday, Oct. 26.

“The Crimestoppers program is offering up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the murder of Ashiwin Patel, 57, of Edison,” Fontoura said. “Patel was fatally shot at approximately 8 p.m., during a robbery at the Getty Gas Station in the 1000 block of Stuyvesant Avenue in Irvington, on Monday, Oct. 26. Patel was working in the convenience store when two men wearing mask entered the store with guns.”

On Friday, Nov. 6, acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Irvington police Director Tracy Bowers announced the Irvington Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide-Major Crimes Task Force are investigating the fatal shooting of Samyr Jules, 21, of Newark.

Police Chief Michael Chase was busy coordinating the security outside the Christian Love Baptist Church, for the public viewing of the recently deceased Rev. Ron Christian, on when the incident occurred Thursday, Nov. 5.

“It just came over the radio that there’s been a shooting up on Stuyvesant Avenue,” Chase said as he was directing officers from both the Irvington Police Department and Sheriff’s Department who had been assigned to control traffic during the viewing at the church on the corner of Nesbit Terrace and Lyons Avenue. “Officers are on the scene. It’s not too far from here.”

“Jules was fatally shot last night in the 300 block of Stuyvesant Avenue in front of an apartment building,” Murray said Friday, Nov. 6. “He was pronounced dead at University Hospital at 9:08 p.m. At this time, no arrests have been made and no suspects have been identified.”

With regard to both cases, Murray and Fontoura said the investigations are active and ongoing but, at this time, no suspects have been identified and no arrests have been made. Anyone with information on either case are asked to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide-Major Crimes Task Force tips line at 877-847-7432.

“All calls will be kept confidential,” Fontoura said.
“It’s unfortunate,” Chase said on Tuesday, Nov. 10. “It’s under investigation. That’s all I can say about that at this point.”