In the city of Orange, New Jersey, a life was abruptly cut short on a Wednesday morning in the fall of 2017. Ryan Myricks, a 27-year-old male, was in the vicinity of 426 Central Avenue shortly after 10 a.m. on October 25th when he was fatally shot. Medics were called to the scene, but it was too late; Myricks was pronounced dead at 10:26 a.m. The Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force, in conjunction with the Orange Police Department, immediately launched an
investigation into the shooting.
For a time, the identity of the person responsible for Ryan Myricks' death remained a mystery, and authorities appealed to the public for any information that might lead to an arrest. The investigation pressed on, and just over a week later, there was a significant development in the case. On Saturday, November 4, 2017, police arrested 19-year-old Kassan Messiah of East Orange in connection with the fatal shooting.
Messiah was subsequently charged with murder, conspiracy, and two weapons-related offenses: possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement officials announced that the investigation into the death of Ryan Myricks was still active and ongoing. While an arrest was made, authorities continued to seek information from the community regarding the incident that took a young man's life on an autumn morning in Orange.
