A fugitive wanted in connection with a fatal shooting that took place in Elizabeth earlier this year has been apprehended in Pennsylvania, according to a joint announcement made Wednesday by acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo, Elizabeth Police Chief Giacomo Sacca, and city Police Director Earl Graves.
Michael Rogers, 23, of Elizabeth is charged with first-degree murder and two related weapons offenses in connection with the death of 32-year-old Elizabeth resident Antwoine Thompson.
Members of the Elizabeth Police Department responding to the intersection of Second and Bond streets in the city’s Elizabethport section early on the afternoon of Monday, April 26 found Thompson at that location, having sustained serious injury, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Julie Peterman, who is prosecuting the case. Thompson was then rushed to Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, where he was pronounced dead the same day.
The investigation into the shooting, led by the Union County Homicide Task Force and assisted by members of the Elizabeth Police Department, Union County Police Department Ballistics Unit, and Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit resulted in Rogers being identified as a suspect, and he was criminally charged on Thursday, June 10. Rogers remained at large until Monday, June 14, when he was taken into custody without incident in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania by members of the U.S. Marshals Service. He currently remains in custody in Pennsylvania pending extradition back to New Jersey.
The Prosecutor’s Office would like to recognize and thank the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department for its assistance in this matter.
Anyone with information about this matter is still urged to contact Prosecutor’s Office Lt. Johnny Ho at 908-403-8271, Detective Lamar Hartsfield at 908-451-1873, or Detective Michael Tambini at 908-472-4301.
Convictions on crimes of this nature are commonly punishable by terms of up to life in state prison.
These criminal charges are mere accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.