5th Person Charged In Fatal Meadowlands Shooting: State Police

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ — A fifth person has been charged in the October double murder at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

State Police and the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office announced murder charges against Davon Womack, 23, of Jersey City, New Jersey, who they believe organized the murder of two Paterson men in October 2020, authorities said. In addition to the murder charges, Womack faces conspiracy to commit murder and weapons charges.

He was arrested on April 16 after he returned to Newark Liberty International Airport on a flight from Miami, State Police said.

Detectives previously arrested Tariq Gathers, 24, Victor Geslicki, 19, Nyshun Morris, 19, and a 16-year-old male, all of Jersey City, New Jersey.

On October 25, 2020, a trooper assigned to the Meadowlands Station was patrolling the complex when he heard gunshots in the Meadowlands Racetrack parking lot around 9:25 p.m.

He watched three men run from the area and enter a dark-colored Audi SUV, fleeing the scene. The trooper attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop, but the driver fled onto State Highway 120 northbound where he struck the cement divider and became disabled, authorities said.

The four occupants fled on foot and were apprehended by troopers shortly after the crash. Detectives recovered two guns from inside the Audi.

Troopers discovered two men who sustained gunshot wounds inside an Acura sedan at the Racetrack. The passenger, Davonte Scudder, 22, of Paterson, New Jersey, was pronounced deceased at the scene, and the driver, Brian Astacio, 21, also of Paterson, was transported to an area hospital where he later died. Read more: 4 Charged In Double Murder At Meadowlands Racetrack

Detectives with the Major Crimes North Unit determined that Womack noticed the victims at the complex and then communicated with the codefendants, who then traveled to the complex parking lot where they allegedly executed the victims, State Police said.

Womack is being held at Bergen County Jail, where he awaits a detention hearing.

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