Newark Juveniles To Be Tried As Adults in Schoolyard Slayings

Essex County Prosecutor Paula T. Dow today announced today that two juveniles,
Shahid Baskerville, 16, of Morristown and Gerardo Gomez, 15, of Newark, arrested in connection with the Mount Vernon schoolyard slayings last August, will be tried as adults.

On August 4, 2007, six suspects were allegedly involved in the fatal shootings of 18-year-old Terrance Aeriel, 20-year-old Iofemi Hightower and 20-year-old Dashon Harvey. Aeriel’s 19-year-old sister, Natasha, survived a gunshot wound to the head and is currently living at an undisclosed location.

Baskerville and Gomez were waived up to adult court late yesterday by Essex County Superior Court Judge James G. Troiano of the Family Division.

Baskerville has been charged with 20 criminal offenses including: three counts of murder, four counts of robbery, one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, three counts of felony murder, one count of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated sexual assault, one count of aggravated criminal sexual contact, one count of unlawful possession of a weapon (machete), one count of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose (machete), one count of unlawful possession of a weapon (handgun), and one count of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose (handgun).

Gomez has been charged with 16 criminal offenses including: three counts of murder, four counts of robbery, one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, three counts of felony murder, one count of attempted murder, one count of unlawful possession of a weapon (machete), one count of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose (machete), one count of unlawful possession of a weapon (handgun), and one count of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose (handgun). Their bails have been set at $1 million each. They are currently being held at a youth detention facility and are expected to be arraigned in court before Essex County Superior Court Judge Donald Volkert on Thursday, April 24, at 10:30 a.m.

Defendants Jose Carranza, 28, of Orange; Rodolfo Godinez, 24, of Newark; Melvin Jovel, 18, of Elizabeth and Alexander Alfaro, 17, of Newark are pending grand jury presentations.