In the early morning hours of February 2, 2010, a tragic event unfolded on the streets of Jersey City, New Jersey, that cut short the life of 17-year-old Mileak Richardson. He and his 26-year-old cousin, Lester 'Bleek' Thompson, were discovered face down on the sidewalk at the intersection of Woodlawn Avenue and Corcoran Street. Both men had been shot in the head in what authorities described as a cold-blooded, execution-style double homicide.
The incident, which was believed to be gang-related, sent ripples of fear and concern through the local community.
Investigators soon determined that the cousins had been intentionally lured to the location in a 'premeditated and planned' setup. The motive for the brutal killings appeared to be robbery, as the assailants took cash, a cell phone, and drugs from the victims before ending their lives. The violent nature of the crime and the young age of Mileak Richardson left many in the city shaken and calling for an end to the senseless violence that had begun to plague their neighborhoods.
In the days that followed, the Jersey City Police Department and the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office worked tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice. Their investigation led to the arrests of three young men from Jersey City. Ronald 'Diddy' Lawrence, 21, and Hakeem 'Hak' Lester, 21, were apprehended shortly after the murders. A third suspect, 19-year-old Shiquan Bellamy, was also later charged in connection with the double homicide, as well as other unrelated killings. All three men were charged with felony murder and armed robbery and were held on a one million dollar bail.
