MAYS LANDING- A Pleasantville man was arrested early Friday morning and charged with murder in connection to the fatal shooting of a teenage female on July 25, 2019, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner announced.
Officials say Lovest, 18, was arrested Friday in connection to the murder of 15 year-old Naimah Bell of Pleasantville. Bell was shot and killed inside the address 102 S. Massachusetts Ave., Atlantic City, shortly after 4:00 a.m.,
An initial autopsy was conducted and determined that the pending cause of death to be a gunshot wound to the head and the pending manner of death as a homicide.
“I want to applaud the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and all of our law enforcement partners for the thorough investigation and swift apprehension of the suspect in this matter. Sadly, another young life in our community has been cut short, and others have been traumatized. Our community is better than this.
We must protect our children,” said Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner.
The arrest was the result cooperative investigation between the Atlantic City Police Department, Pleasantville Police Department and Atlantic County Major Crimes Unit.
Lovest was arrested without incident by members of the Atlantic City Police Department Violent Crime Unit and Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, with the assistance of the Atlantic County SWAT team. He is lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility. Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seth Levy represents the state in this matter. A detention hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
***These charges are merely an accusation and not proof of guilt. In all criminal cases, a charged defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ***