NJ Man Charged With Murder In The Oranges After Fatal Shooting

ORANGES, NJ — An Orange resident has been accused of fatally shooting an East Orange man last week, authorities announced Thursday.

Darienne Murray, 35, of Orange, was arrested and charged with murder in connection with the death of Melja T. Oliver, 37, of East Orange, according to a joint statement from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and the East Orange Police Department.

Prosecutors released the following statement about Oliver’s death:

“On Friday, June 3 at 12:51 a.m., East Orange police were dispatched to the 500-block of Main Street in East Orange, where they discovered Oliver on the sidewalk suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to University Hospital in Newark, where he was pronounced dead at 1:31 a.m.”

Murray was arrested Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon and third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, prosecutors said.

The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force and the East Orange Police Department are investigating the shooting. Authorities said anyone with information can contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.

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