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Joseph Kaite, 19, and Tabika Hale, 25 -- both of Trenton -- were seen on surveillance footage entering a deli on the 200 block of Spring Street armed with handguns on Oct. 5 around 3:40 p.m. Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri said.
Kaite and Hale shot Derek Colley, 26, multiple times before exiting the deli and fleeing in a silver Hyundai Genesis, which was found to have been stolen out of Trenton several days prior, Onofri said.
Numerous .40 and .45 shell casings were subsequently found scattered in the deli, authorities said.
A search of Kaite’s home on Rossell Avenue and a Beakes Street apartment turned up an AR-15 rifle with an extended magazine, various ammunition, various firearm magazines and heroin, Onofri said.
A black Cadillac connected to the murder was also recovered and impounded pending a search warrant, authorities said.
Kaite was arrested Wednesday night in Trenton after fleeing from officers who observed him in a drug transaction and crashing into a police cruiser, Onofri said.
Hale, meanwhile, was taken into custody Thursday by members of the U.S. Marshals NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force.
In addition to first-degree murder, both men face charges for possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful weapon possession and first-degree conspiracy.
The homicide remains under investigation, Onofri said. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Homicide Task Force at (609) 989-6406. Information can also be emailed to mchtftips@mercercounty.org.
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