By: Richard L. Smith
Mercer County authorities reported that the Mercer County Homicide Task Force has arrested and charged a Trenton woman for the June 19 stabbing homicide on Edgewood Avenue in Trenton.
According to Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri, Ms. Shawnette Johnson, 42, of Trenton, was taken into custody this morning by the U.S. Marshals NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force.
Police charged Johnson with first-degree murder, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, and fourth-degree tampering with evidence.
The prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to detain Johnson.
Prosecutor Onofri said at approximately 10:45 p.m., the Trenton Emergency Medical Services (TEMs) received a 911 call for a male stabbed at 1100 Edgewood Avenue.
The 911 caller reported that his neighbor was stabbed and requested paramedics to the location.
According to Prosecutor Onofri, TEMs arrived and transported the victim, later identified as Ernest Denard, 61, to Capital Health Regional Medical Center. The victim was pronounced deceased at the hospital at approximately 2:18 a.m.
An investigation revealed that the victim knocked on his neighbor’s door at approximately 10:45 p.m. and asked him to call an ambulance because he had been stabbed.
Prosecutor Onofri said HTF detectives reviewed video surveillance from the victim’s apartment complex, which showed that, approximately 12 minutes earlier, the victim knocked on the door of apartment A3 and was let in by a black female.
He exited after approximately 10 minutes with visible blood on his shirt. Detectives observed on the video that the victim lifted his shirt and appeared to be looking at his abdomen.
He then walked back towards his apartment in building B, where he requested his neighbor call for an ambulance.
Prosecutor Onofri said the video showed the resident of apartment A3, Johnson, exit her apartment one minute after the victim left and walk towards the rear exit of the building.
Police say she opened the rear door, stepped outside and appeared to throw an object, which was similar in size and shape to a knife before she walked back into the apartment building.
Detectives later searched where Johnson was seen throwing the object and recovered a steak knife with a black handle.
A subsequent search of Johnson’s apartment revealed additional knives of the same type and manufacturer as the knife recovered outside, as well as suspected blood on the floor, on the inside front door doorknob, and on blue slide-on sandals that Johnson was observed wearing when she exited the apartment.