3 Charged With Murdering Passaic Co. Teen As Community Celebrates Honors Student's Life

PATERSON, NJ — Three teens were charged with murder Thursday for the Jan. 19 killing of Robert Cuadra, according to the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office. Meanwhile, the Paterson school community came together to celebrate the teen's life.

Cuadra, an 18-year-old high-school honors student, was helping his grandmother with groceries when he was killed, according to Paterson Public Schools. Dozens of seniors and staff at the school he attended — HARP Academy — filled the library Tuesday to hold a flameless candlelight vigil and honor Cuadra.

“He had a great sense of service above self,” said HARP Academy Principal Kelli A. White, as she opened the remembrance ceremony. “He constantly did for others. The first one to volunteer. The last one to leave.”

Paterson police were dispatched to Godwin Avenue at about 6:30 p.m. Jan. 19 for a report of a shooting. Officers found Cuadra lying on the sidewalk with an apparent gunshot wound. Medical personnel took him to Saint Joseph's University Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Three people were charged Thursday in connection with Cuadra's death: Paterson residents Jaquin Williams, 19, and Kahaz D. Heron, 18, and Clifton resident Jahed Jones, 19. All were charged with first-degree murder, first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, second-degree possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose and second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun.

Officials detailed all three in the Passaic County Jail. The state filed motions for pretrial detention, which a Superior Court judge will hear.

Days before Cuadra's death, he found out he would attend Montclair State University on scholarship. At the school vigil, his acceptance letter was displayed next to photos of him on the library's main desk.

Several students shared kind works about Cuadra.

“Not seeing your face physically, only in my dreams, only hearing your voice in videos, still breaks me because we were so close,” said Najalae Cameron.

Randy Mastrangelo remembered Cuadra as someone who tried to find the good things that can come from bad situations.

“We should all look at this as a bad thing that good things can come out of," Mastrangelosaid. "We should all learn to love each other more and talk to each other on the daily."

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