Five Plainfield men and one Plainfield woman were among group of more than a dozen who chased victim as he ran down Grove Street into North Plainfield before being killed
NORTH PLAINFIELD, N.J.-- Five men and one woman -- all Plainfield residents -- but only two Green Card Holders among the six, were recently indicted for the brutal murder of a young man that took place last summer in the borough.
All six remain in the Somerset County Jail on pre-trial detention, for allegedly killing (and/or in connection with related crimes) Nelson Noe Garcia-Lopez, 24, who resided in North Plainfield.
While NJ News Jersey has learned that only two of the alleged murderers held Green Cards, the immigration status of the other four, including one woman, is “Department of Homeland Security Immigration Detainer – Notice of Action.”
Of the two men who hold Green Cards, one obtained his this year, and the other in 2013. Those two are, Oscar Ivan Baquendo-Martinez, 23, and Patricio M. Piruch-Nekta, 25. The other three men and the woman, apparently illegal aliens, are: Cesar A. Carcamo-Ortega, 25, Nelson S. Aguilar-Lopez, 20, Alder E. Juarez, 22, and Gicsy B. Galindo-Acosta, 22.
Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson, Chief of County Detectives John W. Fodor, and North Plainfield Chief of Police William Parenti, stated that on November 13, 2018, a Somerset County Grand Jury returned an indictment in relation to the homicide of the victim, according to a November 16 news release.
Robertson stated that on August 16, 2018, police received a 9-1-1 call just after 2 a.m. regarding a stabbing in the area of Grove Street in North Plainfield, NJ, near the Plainfield border.
“Initial responding North Plainfield police officers found the victim suffering from stab wounds. He was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead,” reads the release.
“Detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes and Crime Scene Units, the North Plainfield Police Department, and medical investigators from the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office responded to conduct the investigation. The post-mortem examination revealed that Garcia-Lopez had been stabbed multiple times throughout his body and the manner of death was deemed a homicide.”
Robertson noted that detectives with the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, and the North Plainfield Police Department were assisted by members of the Plainfield Police Department as well.
Authorities determined that the victim, “while walking alone on West Front Street, passed a group of approximately fifteen individuals (when) several eventually began to (him) on foot as he ran down Grove Street into North Plainfield.”
By Aug 29, two of the six allegedly connected with the killing of Garcia-Lopez, both listed as living on West Front Street in Plainfield -- Aguilar-Lopez and Galindo-Acosta (the female) -- were captured then arrested by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Texas (along with the FBI). They were trying to make it to Mexico before being apprehended, and the arrest took place near the Louisiana border, stated officials.
That brought the total number of arrests to five, as Aguilar-Lopez was charged with murder and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and Galindo-Acosta was charged with hindering apprehension in the investigation of the slaying. Aguilar-Lopez and Galindo-Acosta were extradited to New Jersey.
On Aug. 24 another man, also among the homicide suspects, Piruch-Nekta, a Green Card Holder since 2013, according to his immigration status, obtained by NJ News Jersey, reportedly turned himself over to the North Plainfield police department.
The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office was assisted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, under the direction of the Special Agent in Charge, Brian Michael, in identifying and locating Aquilar-Lopez and Galindo-Acosta.
According to Garcia-Lopez’s autopsy, he had been stabbed multiple times, added officials. However, no motive has been released due to preserving the integrity of the investigation, which is ongoing.
Officials concluded that as a result of conducting numerous interviews and reviewing surveillance videos from the area, the five Plainfield men were identified as being a part of the group that chased down, assaulted, and killed the 24-year-old man.
Officials reminded the public that they are required by court rules to state that all “charges are merely an accusation and that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty,” added the release.
Prosecutor Robertson, Chief Fodor and Chief Parenti request anyone with information to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Unit at (908) 231-7100 or the North Plainfield Police Department at (908) 769-2937 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ. Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or online at www.888577tips.org or at www.scpo.net and click on either “Crime Stoppers” or “TIPS HOTLINE”. All anonymous Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.