Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey announced that a Newark man charged in the fatal shooting of a New Brunswick man has been detained and will remain in custody on criminal charges for his involvement in the murder.
According to authorities, Michael Martin a/k/a “Maniac”, 26, of Newark appeared today before Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Michael A. Toto for a detention hearing. Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Bina Desai argued that the defendant should be detained because there is a risk of flight and Martin is a danger to the community.
Officials on August 29th, Martin and co-defendant Rayshawn Riddick were both charged with one count of murder in the first degree, conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose in the second degree.
An extensive search for the suspects included the coordinated efforts of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the New Brunswick Police Department and the FBI Task Force, who arrested Rayshawn Riddick, 31, of Newark, in New Brunswick on September 14th.
The search for Martin, who fled after the murder, came to and end on October 23rd, when he was apprehended in Philadelphia by members of the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department. A judge ordered he be held in Pennsylvania until he was extradited to New Jersey.
An investigation led by Detective Kenneth Abode of the New Brunswick Police Department and Detective Craig Marchak of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office determined that Riddick and Martin were involved in the fatal shooting of Hakeem Williams, 31, of New Brunswick on August 18th. New Brunswick Police were alerted to the shooting by a 911 call from an area resident and arrived to find the victim deceased inside his car on Fulton Street.
The investigation is active and continuing.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Kenneth Abode of the New Brunswick Police Department at (732) 745-5217 or Detective Craig Marchak of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732)745-3254.
As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against Martin and Riddick are merely accusations and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.