A local man has been criminally charged in connection with a fatal shooting that took place in Linden earlier this month, and investigators are now requesting assistance from the public in locating him, acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo and Linden Police Chief David Hart jointly announced Tuesday.
Police say Mr. Dion M. Johnson, 38, of Linden is charged with first-degree murder and two second-degree weapons offenses in connection with the death of 38-year-old Mr. Darrell Q. McCoy.
According to officials, shortly after 12:45 p.m. on Monday, October 5, members of the Linden Police Department responded to the 1200 block of Essex Avenue and found McCoy outside his home at that location, having sustained serious injury, according to the preliminary investigation. McCoy was transported to Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 1:30 p.m.
An investigation led by the Union County Homicide Task Force and assisted by members of the Linden Police Department, Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit, and Union County Police Department Ballistics Unit resulted in Johnson being identified as a suspect in the case.
Johnson has been known to frequent portions of Essex and Union counties in New Jersey. A recent photo of Johnson is being issued along with this press release.
Anyone with information about this matter or the whereabouts of Johnson is being urged to contact Prosecutor’s Office Detective Sonia Rodriguez at 908-341-3380 or Sgt. Johnny Ho at 908-403-8271; tips can also be submitted anonymously at 908-654-TIPS (8477) or online at www.uctip.org (submission in this fashion also initiates potential eligibility for a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment).