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2nd Suspect Surrenders In South Jersey Double Fatal Shooting, Burlington Prosecutor Says

A 34-year-old fugitive from Burlington County has become the second person charged in connection with a fatal double shooting, authorities said.

David Armstrong

David Armstrong

Photo Credit: Burlington County Prosecutor's Office
Ronny Paden

Ronny Paden

Photo Credit: Burlington County Prosecutor's Office

Two people were shot dead during a birthday party in January, according to  Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Edgewater Park Township Police Chief Robert D. Hess.

David Armstrong, of Beaverdale Lane, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder,  conspiracy to commit murder and several weapons charges, they said.

Armstrong turned himself at Willingboro Township police station on Tuesday, Coffina said. 

Armstrong's co-defendant, Ronny Paden, 27, of Delran, was arrested by U.S. Marshals and the Burlington County Sheriff's Department last month on the same murder charges, the prosecutor said.

As a convicted felon, Paden also was charged with certain persons not to have firearms, he said.

Paden was released from state prison early last November on a separate charge due to the coronavirus pandemic, Coffina said.

Edgewater Park police were called to a home in the 200 block of Dogwood Road about 1 a.m. on Jan. 24 and found the bodies of Burlington County residents James Gist III, 29, of Westampton and Marcus Thompson, 29, of Willingboro.

Gist was shot while sitting in the driver’s seat of a parked car. Thompson was shot inside the home, police said. 

About 10 people had gathered at the house to celebrate a birthday in Edgewater Park. The victims were the only ones struck by gunfire. 

An investigation found that neither victim was the intended target, according to Coffina.

Armstrong was being held in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly.

Paden was being held in the Ocean County Jail.

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