On a late spring afternoon in Newark, New Jersey, the life of 31-year-old Lateshia M. Townes, a Black female, was irrevocably altered. On May 31, 2014, at approximately 3:30 p.m., Townes was a passenger in a 2006 silver Dodge Charger heading south on South 20th Street. As the vehicle passed in front of 765 South 20th Street, gunfire erupted, and Townes was struck.
Rushed from the scene of the shooting, she was taken to a nearby hospital for emergency medical treatment.
Despite the efforts of medical personnel, Lateshia Townes succumbed to her injuries two days later, on June 2, 2014. Her death was ruled a homicide, launching an investigation led by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force.
In the years that have followed, the investigation into the murder of Lateshia Townes has remained active, yet her killer has not been brought to justice. No arrests have been made in the case, and authorities have not publicly identified any suspects. In an effort to generate new leads, the Essex County Sheriff's Crimestoppers Program offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for her death. To date, the case remains unsolved, and the community awaits answers in the tragic and untimely death of Lateshia Townes.
