On the evening of January 20, 2024, a burst of gunfire shattered the night in Atlantic City, leading to the tragic death of 32-year-old Christian Hunter. Authorities were alerted to the shooting by a ShotSpotter notification for multiple gunshots in the vicinity of 119 N. Virginia Avenue at approximately 7:19 p.m. Arriving at the scene, officers discovered Hunter, a resident of Atlantic City, unresponsive on the sidewalk with several gunshot wounds.
He was quickly transported to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center's City Campus, but he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. An autopsy later confirmed that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the neck, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.
The investigation into Hunter's death, known to his friends as 'Chop' or 'Choppy,' soon painted a picture of a robbery gone fatally wrong. Evidence at the scene indicated that Hunter's pockets had been turned out, and his cell phone was missing. Surveillance footage from the area captured Hunter leaving his home and walking a short distance before the sound of two gunshots. A man's voice was heard on the recording yelling, 'Give me that shit!' Immediately after, a Nissan Rogue was seen fleeing the area.
The investigation quickly led law enforcement to a New York couple, Howard Griswold, 24, and Melissa Tikaram, 28. Phone records revealed that Tikaram had been in contact with Hunter just moments before he was shot. The Nissan Rogue seen leaving the scene of the crime was found in the parking lot of Resorts Hotel & Casino, where Griswold was staying in a room registered to Tikaram. In a crucial piece of evidence, when friends tried to call Hunter's missing cell phone after the shooting, a man believed to be Griswold answered.
Within weeks, both suspects were apprehended in Syracuse, New York. Tikaram was arrested on January 30, followed by Griswold's arrest eleven days later. They were subsequently extradited to Atlantic County to face charges. In May 2024, an Atlantic County Grand Jury indicted both Griswold and Tikaram on charges of murder, robbery, and theft in connection with the death of Christian Hunter.
