On a late Tuesday evening in August, the life of 28-year-old Matthew J. Dukes was tragically cut short in a brazen shooting. The Black/African American man from Trenton, New Jersey, was driving through the Society Hill at Hamilton II development in the neighboring Hamilton Township on August 14, 2018, when he was fatally wounded. The incident occurred at approximately 11 p.m.
on Cypress Lane, where multiple gunshots shattered the night's quiet.
Struck in the chest by the gunfire, Dukes cried out for help to people nearby. His vehicle, a sedan, then jumped a curb before coming to a final stop. Emergency services were called to the scene, and Dukes was rushed to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead around 12:30 a.m. the following morning. Investigators at the scene reportedly found eleven shell casings on the street, indicating the intensity of the attack.
The Mercer County Homicide Task Force is actively investigating the killing, which they believe was not a random act of violence. One theory suggests that the perpetrator or perpetrators were aware of Dukes's routine, as he regularly drove his girlfriend home from work along that route. This has led authorities to believe that he was specifically targeted. Despite the ongoing investigation and this working theory, no suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in connection with the homicide. The motive for the shooting remains undisclosed by the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office, leaving a community searching for answers and a family grieving a profound loss.
