18-Year-Old Charged With Murder In Mercer Shooting Death: Prosecutor

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — An 18-year-old Burlington County man was charged with murder and other offenses in the shooting death of Matthew Morales in Hamilton, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri said Thursday.

Joshua Davis, 18, of Fieldsboro, was charged with one count of first-degree murder, one count of second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and one count of second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.

He was taken into custody on Wednesday afternoon in Mount Laurel, Onofri said.

On Wednesday at 1 a.m., Hamilton police officers responded to a shooting in progress in the 4900 block of S. Broad Street. On arrival, officers found Morales, 28, of Blackwood, in the driveway of a home near Pilgrim Way suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead a short time later, Onofri said.

According to investigation, Morales was shot during an altercation with Davis on S. Broad Street. The prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to detain Davis pending trial.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact MCHTF Detective Luis Vega at (609) 989-6406 or Sgt. Sherika Salmon at (609) 960-3119. Information can also be emailed to mchtftips@mercercounty.org.

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