On a tragic day in Orange, NJ, 21-year-old Morlens Milice lost his life in a violent shooting that also claimed the life of his one-year-old nephew, Marcus Milien. The incident, which unfolded on November 3, 2016, on Cleveland Avenue, also left two other individuals wounded. The group was reportedly sitting on the front porch of a two-family home when a gunman approached and opened fire. As the victims attempted to flee inside the house, the assailant fled the scene.
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office and the Orange Police Department immediately launched an investigation into the double homicide. Their efforts led to the identification of a suspect, 28-year-old Stevenson Valentin of Maplewood.
Valentin was apprehended by Newark police officers during a traffic stop on December 3, 2016, after they discovered he was wanted in connection with the Orange murders.
Following his arrest, Valentin was charged with two counts of murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and two counts of aggravated assault for the non-fatal shootings of the other two victims. A judge set his bail at $1 million, and he was remanded to the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark. The investigation into the motive for the shooting was ongoing.
