In the early morning hours of a Friday in Newark, New Jersey, a sequence of events unfolded that would end in the tragic death of Wesley Murphy. The initial call to police came at 2:35 a.m. on May 19, 2023, reporting a shooting on the 100 block of Lindsley Avenue. Not long after, a second report came in, this one concerning a motor vehicle accident a short distance away on the 200 block of Sunset Avenue. It was at the scene of this crash that the full gravity of the situation became apparent.
Responding officers discovered 37-year-old Wesley Murphy inside a car, not just the victim of a car accident, but suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to University Hospital in a desperate attempt to save his life, but his injuries proved too severe. At 3:14 a.m., less than an hour after the first call to the police, Mr.
Murphy, a male resident of Newark, was pronounced dead.
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force immediately took charge of the case, piecing together the events that led from a shooting on one street to a fatal car crash on another. The investigation into the death of Wesley Murphy is active and ongoing as authorities work to understand the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
To date, no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Wesley Murphy, and no suspects have been publicly identified. Investigators are urging anyone with information to come forward and contact the Essex County Prosecutor's Office tips line, assuring that all calls will be kept confidential as they seek to bring those responsible for this act of violence to justice.
