In the early morning hours of March 1, 2015, a violent encounter at the Red Roof Inn on East Absecon Boulevard in Absecon, New Jersey, left two men dead. One of the victims was Gerald Ignacio Alvarez, a 22-year-old male from Mays Landing. Police responded to a 9-1-1 call at 4:58 a.m. and discovered the bodies of Alvarez and another man, Diante Owens, 22, of Pleasantville, inside one of the motel rooms. An autopsy later determined that Alvarez had died from multiple gunshot wounds, and his death was ruled a homicide.
An extensive 18-month investigation into the double homicide, led by the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit and the Absecon Police Department, unraveled a complex and violent plot. Investigators alleged that the incident was the result of a robbery gone wrong, in which gunfire was exchanged between two groups. The authorities stated that the individuals in the motel room with Alvarez were allegedly involved in drug distribution and were armed.
Two other men, Donnell Nicholas and Zackery M. Geckeler, later arrived at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center with gunshot wounds sustained during the altercation.
In August 2016, the investigation culminated in charges being filed against seven individuals. Four men were charged with the felony murder of Gerald Alvarez: Brian Bennett, 25, of Pleasantville; Aaquile Reeves, 20, of Absecon; Tywan Dixon, 22, of Pleasantville; and Donnell Nicholas, 24, of Atlantic City. Because Diante Owens was allegedly a participant in the robbery, charges were not filed in relation to his death. The four suspects in Alvarez's death also faced charges of robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, and weapons offenses. Three other individuals were also charged with drug and gun possession in connection with the events that transpired in the motel room that morning.
