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Cornell Tarte, 35, was previously found guilty at trial of murder in the shooting death of 45-year-old Michael Milton of Woodlynne. Tarte also was found guilty on weapons offenses, according to Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay.
On Sept. 7, 2020, shortly before midnight, the Camden County Police Department were called to the Gulf Gas Station – commonly known as the “AM/PM” – located at 1033 Kaighn Avenue in Camden for a report of an injured man. The victim was taken to Virtua Hospital in Camden before police arrived. Milton was subsequently pronounced dead at the hospital.
During the investigation, detectives learned Milton was shot in the head in his vehicle shortly before 11:18 p.m. but wasn’t discovered for more than 30 minutes. Detectives located surveillance video footage of an individual approaching Milton’s vehicle, firing a single shot into the front driver’s side, and then walking away. Using surveillance video footage from multiple locations, Tarte was ultimately determined to be the person who shot Milton, MacAulay said.
Tarte was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force – Camden Division in Atlantic City on Sept. 28, 2020, on unrelated charges.
A cell phone seized from Tarte’s pocket at that time was later determined to have digital photos of a Ruger EC9s 9mm-caliber handgun on it. Months later, a Ruger EC9s 9mm-caliber handgun was recovered in Burlington County and later determined to be a ballistic match to a 9mm shell casing collected at the murder scene, MacAulay said.
Tarte must serve 85 percent of the 63-year sentence before he would be eligible for parole.
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