Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri announced today that an investigation has resulted in charges being filed against two Trenton residents in connection to last month’s double shooting that resulted in the death of Shimon Nesmith Jr.
According to Prosecutor Onofri, Quashawn Hightower, 23, and Desire Knighton, 21, are each charged with murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, multiple counts of aggravated assault and multiple weapons offenses.
Both Hightower and Knighton are currently incarcerated in Pennsylvania on a weapons charge.
The prosecutor’s office will file motions to detain both defendants pending trial.
According to Prosecutor Onofri, just after 3:30 p.m. on March 1, Trenton police received a Shot Spotter activation for 11 rounds fired in the 1100 block of New Willow Street.
Prosecutor Onofri said that responding officers located a vehicle that had crashed into the side of 931 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, the Life in the Word Outreach Ministry.
The vehicle was heavily damaged and appeared to have numerous bullet holes. Nesmith, 19, of Trenton, was on the scene suffering from gunshot wounds.
According to Prosecutor Onofri, he was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
Prosecutor Onofri said that a 21-year-old woman suffered a gunshot wound to the face and was transported to the hospital by private vehicle.
Despite having been charged, every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.