Two men have been arrested and charged with felony murder, robbery and weapons offenses in the fatal January 2020 shooting of Arturo Barrera III, 24, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner announced.
According to Atlantic County authorities, on January 2, 2020, an eyewitness stated that two armed men in masks entered his residence. Police say the men pointed the guns at the eyewitness and victim, at which time dogs started barking and moving toward the masked men.
Simultaneously, Barrera Jr. stood up and the two men started firing, ultimately killing him instantly. The two men then fled the home,” Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner said.
Leonard B. Ludwigsen Jr., 26, of Egg Harbor Township, is charged with the following offenses in the killing of Barrera Jr.:
- 1st-degree Felony Murder
- 1st-degree Robbery
- 2nd-degree Conspiracy
- 2nd-degree Possession of Weapons for Unlawful Purposes (Firearm)
- 2nd-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Handgun)
Neco J. Pitts, 28, of Long Branch, Monmouth County, is charged with the following offenses in the killing of Barrera Jr.:
- 1st-degree Felony Murder
- 1st-degree Robbery
- 2nd-degree Conspiracy
- 2nd-degree Possession of Weapons for Unlawful Purposes (Firearm)
- 2nd-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Handgun)
- 2nd degree Certain Persons Not to have Weapons
According to Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner, at 11:20 p.m., Egg Harbor Township Police received a 911 call with a report of a shooting at 109 Vermont Avenue. When police arrived, they found Barrera suffering gunshot wounds.
Officials said an eyewitness stated that two armed men in masks entered his residence. The men pointed the guns at the eyewitness and victim, at which time dogs started barking and moving towards the masked men. Simultaneously police said Barrera stood up and the two men began firing, ultimately killing Barrera. The two men then fled the home. Barrera was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Police say Ludwigsen was taken into custody at his Egg Harbor Township home, charged and he is lodged at the Atlantic County Justice Facility. Pitts was charged and is housed in the Monmouth County Jail on an unrelated matter.
“I have said it before, but it bears repeating; if someone has, or intends to, commit murder in Atlantic County, our detectives and law enforcement partners will never stop searching for those responsible.
This dogged determination runs throughout the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office and while some cases may take longer than others to resolve, the public should know that we never stop working to make our community safe,” Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner said.