A quiet Sunday evening in Jersey City turned into a scene of tragedy and violence, ending in the death of 63-year-old George T. Smith. Smith, a male resident of the city, was fatally shot just after midnight in April 2014, on Danforth Avenue as he and his wife, Margaret, arrived home. The couple had been returning from an evening at the local Moose Lodge, where George was a member.
As they parked their minivan in their driveway, they were accosted by two men.
The assailants' target was Margaret Smith's handbag. In a final, selfless act, George Smith placed himself between his wife and the attackers in an attempt to protect her. As he tried to retrieve his wife's purse from one of the robbers, he was shot. The sound of the gunshot and Margaret's subsequent screams pierced the late-night quiet, alerting neighbors to the brutal event that had just unfolded. Those who knew George Smith were left in disbelief, describing him as a meek, timid, and quiet man who would never have harmed anyone.
The investigation into the homicide was conducted by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Homicide Unit. Their work led to the apprehension of two suspects in connection with the robbery and murder. Joshua Higgins, a 19-year-old from Newark, was charged with felony murder, robbery, and firearms offenses. A second man, 19-year-old Donte Gaskin of Irvington, was also arrested after he was found with Margaret Smith's stolen cellphone. Gaskin was charged with receiving stolen property. Higgins later entered a plea of not guilty to the charges against him.
