In the late hours of February 4, 2021, a 21-year-old man from Philadelphia named Alex Fernandez was shot and killed in Camden, New Jersey. The incident occurred on the 1700 block of South 7th Street and was described by an eyewitness, who was in the vehicle with Fernandez at the time, as a robbery that had taken a violent turn. According to the witness, they were confronted by two young men with whom Fernandez was not acquainted.
In an attempt to escape the robbery, Fernandez was shot multiple times in the chest. He was rushed to Cooper University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival. The cause of his death was determined to be multiple gunshot wounds.
The investigation into the death of Alex Fernandez, who was also an aspiring rapper known as 'Kodaktimes,' led to the identification of two suspects. In March 2021, Anthony Shields, 20, and Jony Ramos, 21, both from Camden, were arrested and subsequently charged with first-degree felony murder and weapons offenses in connection with the fatal shooting. The arrests brought a measure of hope for justice to Fernandez's family, who had publicly pleaded for information that could lead to the capture of those responsible for his death.
In January 2024, a Camden County jury convicted Antony Shields of first-degree felony murder, first-degree aggravated manslaughter, and second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery. In April of the same year, Shields was sentenced to 55 years in New Jersey State Prison. Under the terms of his sentence, he is required to serve 85 percent of his term before becoming eligible for parole. The resolution of the case against one of the individuals involved marked a significant development in the tragic and untimely death of Alex Fernandez, a young father who left behind two children and a fiancée.
