Crime & Safety
Arrest Made in South Orange Homicide Case
Authorities have arrested a Newark resident charged with killing a man whose body was left at a S. Stanley Road residence in December.
An arrest has been made in connection with a Dec. 4 homicide case in South Orange, according to an announcement Monday by Police Chief James Chelel and Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow.
On Saturday, detectives from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Homicide Squad and the South Orange Police Department arrested Taiwan Blunt, 22, at his Newark home without incident. Blunt has been charged with the fatal shooting of Altariq Collins, 25, of East Orange. The defendant has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, murder, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
He's being held at the Essex County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail and is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday before Essex County Superior Court Judge Peter J. Vazquez.
Find out what's happening in South Orangefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
According to Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Thomas McTigue, South Orange police responded to 54 S. Stanley Rd. on Dec. 4 at about 7 p.m. on a report of a body found alongside a home. Upon arrival, they discovered the body of the victim, who was unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene a short time later. Witnesses had obtained a partial description of a vehicle leaving the scene that evening. The investigation is continuing.
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