By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Mercer County announced that two Trenton men were sentenced this week to 60 years in state prison, each without parole.
Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri stated that Treizon Thompson, 23, and Tyzir Hamilton, 22, were sentenced by Mercer County Superior Judge Peter E. Warshaw in separate appearances on January 4, 2024.
According to officials, both men were sentenced to two 30-year sentences with a mandatory 30-year period of parole ineligibility.
Warshaw granted the state’s request to run the sentences consecutively for a total of 60 years in state prison, officials stated.
At their respective trials in December 2022 and September 2023, officials said, Thompson and Hamilton were found guilty by Mercer County juries on all counts of the indictment, including two counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a handgun.
Officials say on August 9, 2020, at approximately 7:30 a.m., patrol officers with the Trenton Police Department responded to the area of 300 Centre Street for a shooting in progress. Upon arrival, officers located the first victim, William Irizarry, 18, lying on the street in the area of 339 Centre Street.
Authorities say he had sustained multiple gunshot wounds throughout his body and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The second victim, Julius Vargas, 18, was located inside a corner market with a gunshot wound, officials said.
Officials stated Vargas was transported to the hospital for treatment, however, he succumbed to his injuries a short time later. HTF detectives were able to locate a witness and numerous cameras in the area of the shooting.
A suspect vehicle was identified as a black Chrysler 300 with PA plates, along with two shooters, described as two black males wearing all-black clothing and black ski masks, authorities say.
The black Chrysler 300 was seen circling the area before the shooting, officials stated, then parking and watching the victims for several minutes as they stood on the corner with others.
Mercer County officials said when the suspect vehicle drove up to the corner and stopped, two shooters, later identified as Thompson and Tyzir Hamilton, exited.
Both ran toward the victims, firing multiple gunshots, authorities say.
According to officials, the driver, later identified as Darnell Davis, remained in the car. Hamilton and Thompson then chased after Irizarry as he ran into the street, continuing to shoot at him.
Authorities say when Irizarry fell to the ground after suffering a gunshot wound, they both continued to shoot at him as he lay on the ground.
Afterward, Hamilton and Thompson returned to the suspect vehicle, which fled, officials said.
Further investigation revealed that a black Chrysler 300 was stolen out of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, on August 3, 2020, and seen on an automated license plate reader camera in the area of Pennington Avenue and Reservoir Street in Trenton on August 4, officials stated.
Officials say detectives were able to partially match the license plate of the suspect vehicle to that of the stolen vehicle out of Bensalem.
The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit conducted a physical search and forensic examination of Irizarry’s cell phone, pursuant to a search warrant, and a photo was found that Irizarry posted on his Facebook page disrespecting the H-Block gang.
Detectives continued to monitor multiple public social media posts throughout the month of August of numerous H-Block gang members talking about the murders of Irizarry and Vargas, taunting and threatening friends and family of the victims.
They also referenced Irizarry disrespecting the H-Block gang prior to being murdered, officials say.
According to officials, on September 1, 2020, while on surveillance during another investigation, HTF detectives observed the black Chrysler 300 with Pennsylvania plates driving in the area of Perry and Southard streets in Trenton.
While detectives were attempting to identify the occupants, the vehicle took off at a high rate of speed, and a pursuit ensued.
The pursuit came to an end on Reservoir Street near Frazier Street, where the vehicle crashed into a telephone pole, and the occupants subsequently escaped on foot. Area surveillance footage shows the vehicle crashed into the pole, officials said.
Authoritiee say two black males exited the vehicle through the front passenger door, both wearing all black with their hoods up.
The black males fled on Reservoir Street toward Frazier Street and subsequently made a right onto Frazier Street toward Pennington Avenue, then out of sight, officials stated.
Officials said a search warrant was obtained for the vehicle, and detectives located a fully loaded, 9mm Taurus handgun under the driver’s seat.
The handgun was submitted to the New Jersey State Police Laboratory and identified as one of the guns used in the murders of Irizarry and Vargas.
Further investigation revealed another witness who was able to identify Davis, Hamilton, and Thompson as being responsible for the deaths of Irizarry and Vargas.
At the time of the arrest of all three suspects in October 2020, Prosecutor Onofri praised the investigative work of the Mercer County Homicide Task Force and thanked the public for the assistance provided during the investigation.
“For weeks, detectives have methodically pieced the puzzle together, identifying the vehicle and all three suspects. But the help of the public in solving this double homicide was instrumental,” he stated.
“It allowed us to follow leads from the very beginning, helping to point investigators in the right direction and allowing them to connect the dots.”