In the spring of 2016, a wave of violence was casting a dark shadow over the city of Plainfield, New Jersey. It was within this climate of fear and uncertainty that the life of a young man was tragically cut short. Shavaun W. Green, a 23-year-old male resident of the city, became another victim of the escalating violence on May 8, 2016. On that day, the sound of gunshots pierced the air on the west side of town, drawing the attention of local law enforcement.
Responding to the reports, police officers arrived at a scene on West 2nd Street to find a car that had collided with a light pole. Inside the vehicle was Shavaun Green. It was quickly apparent that the crash was a result of a more sinister event; Green had sustained fatal gunshot wounds.
The discovery of his body inside his car marked the beginning of a homicide investigation led by the Union County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Task Force, with assistance from the Union County Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Unit and the Union County Police Department Ballistics Unit.
Despite the immediate launch of a thorough investigation, the search for those responsible for Shavaun Green's death proved to be a difficult and frustrating endeavor. His killing was one of twelve homicides to occur in Plainfield that year, and one of seven that would remain unsolved. In an effort to generate leads, the Union County Crime Stoppers offered a substantial reward of up to $10,000 for any information that would lead to an arrest and indictment in the case. However, despite these efforts and the pleas from a community shaken by the relentless violence, no arrests have ever been made in connection with the murder. The case of who killed Shavaun Green remains cold, a lingering and painful question for his family and a stark reminder of the challenges that continue to face the city he called home.
