In the city of Paterson, New Jersey, Jose Tavarez, a 64-year-old male, was fatally shot on the night of February 12, 2016. The incident occurred at approximately 9:04 p.m. at the Ellison Mini Market, a convenience store that Tavarez owned, located at 29 Ellison Street. Responding police officers discovered Tavarez at the scene with a gunshot wound. He was quickly transported to St.
Joseph's Regional Medical Center for emergency treatment but ultimately did not survive his injuries.
The investigation into the death of the local store owner led to an arrest the following month. On March 21, 2016, authorities announced that they had charged Harold Johnson, a 49-year-old resident of Paterson, in connection with the killing.
According to the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office, Johnson was charged with felony murder, robbery, and weapons offenses. The allegations state that Johnson shot and killed Tavarez during an attempted robbery of the Ellison Mini Market. Following his arrest, Johnson was held at the Passaic County Jail on a $1 million bail. He faced a potential sentence of 30 years to life in prison for the felony murder charge.
