TRENTON, NJ — A Mercer County jury has convicted a Trenton man of murder in a 2022 shooting that killed a 19-year-old and wounded a woman, prosecutors said.
Quashawn Hightower, 28, was found guilty on Nov. 5 in the March 1, 2022, shooting death of Shimon Nesmith Jr. of Trenton, Mercer County Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey said Thursday.
Hightower was convicted of first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated assault, two counts of fourth-degree aggravated assault, second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun and third-degree receiving stolen property.
Just after 3:30 p.m. on March 1, 2022, Trenton police received a ShotSpotter alert for 12 rounds fired near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Race Street, according to the prosecutor's office.
Officers found a car that had crashed into the side of the Life in the Word Outreach Ministry at 953 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The car was heavily damaged and appeared to have many bullet holes, authorities said.
Nesmith had been shot and was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he died a short time later. A 21-year-old woman was shot in the face and both legs. She was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle, prosecutors said.
The Mercer County Homicide Task Force and Trenton police found that Hightower had gotten into a Toyota Corolla after the shooting. The car had active GPS tracking, according to prosecutors.
On March 2, 2022, detectives tracked the car to northeast Pennsylvania. Local police there stopped the vehicle. Hightower was in the front passenger seat, and his girlfriend and co-defendant, Desire Knighton, was driving, prosecutors said.
Pennsylvania authorities got a search warrant for the car. They found the gun used in the shooting hidden in the trunk, in the spare tire area, according to the prosecutor's office.
Hightower faces 30 years to life in prison for the murder and 10 to 20 years for the attempted murder. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 8, 2027.
Have a correction or a news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
East Windsor Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.