In the late evening hours of March 1, 2017, the city of Camden, New Jersey, bore witness to a violent act that would end the life of 28-year-old Carlos Rosa. He was discovered inside his vehicle in the area of 4th and Mount Vernon Streets, suffering from a fatal gunshot wound. The discovery was made by police officers who were responding to the area at approximately 8:36 p.m.
The investigation into the death of the Camden man unfolded over the following days, leading authorities to a
suspect. Michael Kee, a 24-year-old from the neighboring community of Woodlynne, was identified as the individual responsible for the shooting. The events leading to the fatal encounter began earlier that evening when Kee, accompanied by another man and a woman, parked their car on a Camden street. Kee and the other man then approached a parked car where Carlos Rosa was sitting in the driver's seat with two other individuals. An argument erupted between Kee and Rosa, which tragically escalated when Kee drew a handgun and shot Rosa.
Following the shooting, Kee and his male companion fled the scene, returning to their vehicle. In an attempt to conceal his crime, Kee handed the handgun to the female passenger, threatening to kill her if she revealed what had transpired. Despite his efforts to evade capture, Kee's erratic driving after the incident attracted the attention of a nearby police officer. The officer pursued the speeding vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. The subsequent investigation, aided by statements from the witness who was with Kee, led to his arrest. The murder weapon was recovered the following day, and ballistic tests confirmed it was the gun used to kill Carlos Rosa.
Michael Kee was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Carlos Rosa. The legal proceedings that followed also brought to light further attempts by Kee to obstruct justice. While incarcerated, he made numerous recorded phone calls to the female witness, which resulted in additional charges of witness tampering. Another individual, Jahcir King, was also implicated and charged with witness tampering after posting a copy of a subpoena intended for the witness on Facebook.
