In a tragic turn of events stemming from an online marketplace deal, 20-year-old Daniel 'Danny' Diaz-Delgado of Trenton, New Jersey, was found deceased on March 24, 2018. The young Hispanic man had set out the previous day, March 23, with the intention of purchasing a PlayStation 4 for his younger brother, a transaction he had arranged through Facebook. This simple act of brotherly kindness led him into a fatal encounter.
Diaz-Delgado left his home to meet the purported seller but never returned. His body was discovered by a passerby near a canal at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Assunpink Boulevard in Hamilton Township. The scene was grim; he was found face-down with his hands bound behind his back with a power cord and tape around his face.
An autopsy would later reveal that he had suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his torso, head, and leg in what authorities described as an 'execution-style' killing.
The investigation into the homicide quickly uncovered a sinister plot. Authorities determined that the PlayStation 4 for sale never actually existed. Instead, it was a ruse to lure an unsuspecting victim. Investigators traced the online communication to Rufus Thompson, 29, who used the screen name 'Ru Hunter' on Facebook. The investigation revealed that after being lured to an alley in Trenton, Diaz-Delgado was robbed at gunpoint of the $240 he had brought for the gaming console. The assailants then forced him to an ATM where they withdrew an additional $700 from his account.
Law enforcement officials arrested Rufus Thompson and a second suspect, 29-year-old Akmal Alvaranga. A search of Thompson's residence uncovered an empty PS4 box and a roll of pink duct tape similar to that used on the victim. Both men were charged with murder, felony murder, kidnapping, robbery, and weapons offenses. According to an arrest affidavit, Alvaranga confessed to his involvement in the crimes. The tragic death of the young man, who was remembered by friends and family as a kind and positive person, was the result of a violent robbery orchestrated through an online marketplace.
