In the late summer of 2014, a dispute that began with words tragically escalated, cutting short the life of a young man in Paterson, New Jersey. Raymond Torres, a 24-year-old male, was working as a cook at Big Chris's Pizzeria on Park Avenue. On the evening of September 8th, he found himself in a verbal altercation with another man, Joseph Borges. The argument intensified, culminating in Torres punching Borges in the face.
Rather than letting the matter rest, Borges left the scene only
to return several hours later, his intentions tragically transformed. Armed with a. 380 caliber handgun, he waited. When Torres emerged from the pizzeria, Borges opened fire, discharging six shots. One of the bullets struck Torres in the lower back, inflicting a fatal wound. Despite medical attention, Raymond Torres succumbed to his injuries that day.
The investigation into the shooting led authorities to Joseph Borges. In October 2016, the 27-year-old Paterson resident pleaded guilty to a charge of first-degree aggravated manslaughter in a Passaic County courtroom. As a result of his plea, prosecutors recommended a 20-year prison sentence for the killing of Raymond Torres. Borges's sentencing was scheduled for January of the following year.
