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Passaic, NJ

Boyfriend Charged With Murder Of Clifton's 'Dunkin' Donuts Queen' Daniela Ghafour Boyfriend Charged With Murder Of Clifton's 'Dunkin' Donuts Queen' Daniela Ghafour
Boyfriend Charged With Murder Of Clifton's 'Dunkin' Donuts Queen' Daniela Ghafour A Passaic man has been charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 31-year-old Clifton native known as the “Dunkin’ Donuts Queen” nearly one year later, authorities announced. Ernest Lawrence, 35, of Passaic, was identified as the suspect in the March 16, 2025 murder of Daniela Ghafour, of Passaic, and captured in North Carolina, according to Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Passaic Police Chief Luis A. Guzman. Sources tell Daily Voice that Lawrence was Ghafour's boyfriend. He has been extradited to New Jersey where he will face charges of murder, unlawful po…
3AM Motorcycle Stop Turns Up Gun, Drugs, Knife: Clifton PD 3AM Motorcycle Stop Turns Up Gun, Drugs, Knife: Clifton PD
3AM Motorcycle Stop Turns Up Gun, Drugs, Knife: Clifton PD Two men are facing weapons and drug charges after Clifton police stopped a motorcycle early Sunday morning, Sept. 14, authorities said. At about 3:14 a.m., Officer Benjamin Bressel saw a 2024 Zhilo motorcycle with two riders near Lexington Avenue and Highland Avenue, Lt. Robert Anderson said. The driver wore a ski mask, and the passenger had no helmet. The motorcycle turned onto Van Winkle Avenue into Passaic before parking, and Bressel conducted a stop, according to Anderson. The driver was identified as Daymon Duncan-Wilson, 33, of Passaic, and the passenger as Jim Murillo, 34, of Clifton…
They Tried Silencing Her In Armed NJ Robbery, But Her Screams Led To Their Arrests: Cops They Tried Silencing Her In Armed NJ Robbery, But Her Screams Led To Their Arrests: Cops
They Tried Silencing Her In Armed NJ Robbery, But Her Screams Led To Their Arrests: Cops Three men who police say pointed a gun at a woman sitting in her car — prompting her to scream for help — and then pushed her to the ground and covered her mouth when she tried to scream again have been charged, authorities said. Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella identified the suspects as Jamil N. Tuncer, 24, of Wallington; Jakub P. Lepianka, 23, of Passaic; and Michael A. Rodriguez, 27, of Passaic. The incident happened Tuesday, July 8, at approximately 1:30 a.m., near Paterson Avenue and Clifton Avenue, Musella said. An officer on routine patrol when he heard a woman yelling for help…
Wayne Dad Stopped Daughter From Leaving With Man — So He Pulled Out Knife: Cops Say Wayne Dad Stopped Daughter From Leaving With Man — So He Pulled Out Knife: Cops Say
Wayne Dad Stopped Daughter From Leaving With Man — So He Pulled Out Knife: Cops Say A Wayne father’s decision to keep his daughter from leaving with a man ended with the man pulling a knife on him, authorities said. The confrontation happened around 7:34 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 24, at a home on Riverside Drive, Wayne Police Detective Captain Dan Daly said. Officers were told a fight involving a knife had broken out, and that the suspect vehicle had fled toward Route 46 East, Daly said. Officer Spencer Schoonmaker positioned himself to intercept the fleeing car and stopped it as it entered Route 80 East, Daly said. The three occupants admitted to fleeing from Riverside Drive. In…
Code Orange Air Quality Alert Issued Across NJ As Heat, Humidity Build Code Orange Air Quality Alert Issued Across NJ As Heat, Humidity Build
Code Orange Air Quality Alert Issued Across NJ As Heat, Humidity Build The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has issued a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for 12 counties across New Jersey until 11 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11. The alert covers Bergen, Passaic, Hudson, Essex, and Union counties, as well as Sussex, Warren, Morris, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex, and Mercer counties. Check your town's air quality here. A Code Orange day means ground-level ozone in the region may approach or exceed unhealthy standards, especially for sensitive groups such as children, older adults, and people with heart or lung conditions. Residents are advised to lim…
NJ Declares State Of Emergency As Flash Flood, Thunderstorm Threats Slam 21 Counties NJ Declares State Of Emergency As Flash Flood, Thunderstorm Threats Slam 21 Counties
NJ Declares State Of Emergency As Flash Flood, Thunderstorm Threats Slam 21 Counties New Jersey is under a State of Emergency as flash floods and severe thunderstorms threaten all 21 counties Thursday, July 31. Officials are warning residents to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary. Acting Governor Tahesha Way announced the order would take effect at 2 p.m., ahead of forecasted intense downpours, damaging wind gusts, and potential flash flooding. Rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches are expected, with up to 7 inches possible in some areas. Rain may fall at rates exceeding 2 inches per hour, forecasters say. Flood watch Thursday, July 13. National Weather Ser…
Canadian Wildfire Smoke, Heat Trigger Code Orange Alert Across North Jersey Canadian Wildfire Smoke, Heat Trigger Code Orange Alert Across North Jersey
Canadian Wildfire Smoke, Heat Trigger Code Orange Alert Across North Jersey Officials are urging residents to take precautions as wildfire smoke and extreme heat bring poor air quality and health risks to much of the tri-state region. The area is under multiple air quality and heat advisories through Wednesday, July 30. Air Quality Alerts in Effect On Sunday, July 27, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection issued Code Orange air quality alerts due to elevated levels of fine particulate pollution. These conditions can be especially harmful to people with heart or lung conditions, young ch…
Extreme Heat Warning: Parts Of North Jersey Could Feel Like 108 On Friday Extreme Heat Warning: Parts Of North Jersey Could Feel Like 108 On Friday
Extreme Heat Warning: Parts Of North Jersey Could Feel Like 108 On Friday North Jersey is facing dangerously high temperatures on Friday, July 25, with heat index values expected to climb as high as 108 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Most of New Jersey is under an Extreme Heat Warning or Heat Advisory with "feels-like" temperatures expected to top 108 degrees.  National Weather Service Here's a breakdown by region: An Extreme Heat Warning is in effect from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. for: Mercer Middlesex Somerset Camden Gloucester Northwestern Burlington A second warning — issued by the NWS New York office — is in effect from 11 a.m. to 8 p.…
Fourth Detainee Who Escaped New Jersey ICE Facility Captured 2,700 Miles Away Fourth Detainee Who Escaped New Jersey ICE Facility Captured 2,700 Miles Away
Fourth Detainee Who Escaped New Jersey ICE Facility Captured 2,700 Miles Away The fourth and final detainee who escaped from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in New Jersey last month was captured Thursday, July 17, in Los Angeles, more than 2,700 miles away, the FBI said. Andres Felipe Pineda-Mogollon, 25, a Colombian national, escaped from Delaney Hall in Newark following a riot on June 12, as previously reported by Daily Voice. The FBI did not release further details about Pineda-Mogollon's escape. The three other detainees were identified as: Franklin Norberto Bautista-Reyes, a Honduran national who entered the U.S. illegally in 2021, was arreste…
Flood Watch, Heat Advisory Issued For NJ As State Recovers From Deadly Storms Flood Watch, Heat Advisory Issued For NJ As State Recovers From Deadly Storms
Flood Watch, Heat Advisory Issued For NJ As State Recovers From Deadly Storms Just one day after a fast-moving storm swept through New Jersey, causing dramatic rescues, a home explosion, and multiple deaths, officials have issued both a Flood Watch and Heat Advisory for the region. The Flood Watch, issued by the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, warns that flash flooding is possible in seven New Jersey counties from Wednesday afternoon, July 16, through late Wednesday night. The counties include Sussex, Warren, Morris, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex, and Mercer, affecting cities such as New Brunswick, Morristown, Newton, Flemington, Trenton, and Somerville, of…
Tornado Watch Issued In Ocean County; Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued For All 21 NJ Counties Tornado Watch Issued In Ocean County; Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued For All 21 NJ Counties
Tornado Watch Issued In Ocean County; Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued For All 21 NJ Counties A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for all 21 counties through 9 p.m., with forecasters warning of damaging wind gusts and heavy downpours. Flash Flood and Heat Advisories also remain in place as of Tuesday afternoon, the National Weather Service said. In Ocean County, a Tornado Warning was issued just before 6:30 p.m. and remains in effect until 7:15 p.m. Tuesday. Radar indicated potential tornadic activity over areas including Lakewood, Cassville, Pine Lake Park, Leisure Village, New Egypt, and Hornerstown. As of 7 p.m., more than 6,800 customers were without power. According to JCP…
New Jersey MVC 'Bodyguard' Davidson Cruz Dies Days Before 24th Birthday New Jersey MVC 'Bodyguard' Davidson Cruz Dies Days Before 24th Birthday
New Jersey MVC 'Bodyguard' Davidson Cruz Dies Days Before 24th Birthday Davidson Elian Cruz, a Wallington husband, father, and Motor Vehicle Commission employee, died on Friday, June 27, 2025, just three days before his 24th birthday, according to his obituary on the Alvarez Funeraria website. He was born June 30, 2001, in the Dominican Republic, the obituary says. Davidson worked for the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) as a Safety Specialist at the Lodi Road Test Operations team since April 2022, according to a GoFundMe campaign which appears to have been launched by coworkers. "Davidson made a lasting impact during his time with the Commission," th…
Extreme Heat Warning Issued For Morris County: Temps Could Feel Like 110 Extreme Heat Warning Issued For Morris County: Temps Could Feel Like 110
Extreme Heat Warning Issued For Morris County: Temps Could Feel Like 110 New Jersey is baking under a dangerous heat wave, with Extreme Heat Warnings now in effect for 16 counties across the state, the National Weather Service said Monday, June 23. Forecasters say heat index values could reach up to 110 degrees, and overnight lows near 80 won’t provide much relief. Counties under Extreme Heat Warnings through Tuesday or Wednesday include: Bergen Passaic Essex Union Hudson Mercer Middlesex Morris Somerset Hunterdon Warren Sussex Atlantic Cape May Cumberland Salem ⚠️We simply cannot stress this enough: it will be dangerously hot the next three days.⚠️ Heat a…
Feds ID Four Migrants Who Escaped ICE Facility, $10K Reward Offered Feds ID Four Migrants Who Escaped ICE Facility, $10K Reward Offered
Feds ID Four Migrants Who Escaped ICE Facility, $10K Reward Offered Federal officials are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of four criminal illegal aliens who escaped from Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark on Thursday, June 12, the Department of Homeland Security said. The agency maintained that no widespread unrest occurred at the facility, contradicting various media reports including some saying 50 inmates pushed down a wall after meals were served late.  Officials said Delaney Hall remains “dedicated to providing high-quality services” and maintains 24/7 medical care, visitation, legal access, meals, reli…
Woman Walks Into Route 3 Hotel Room, Steals Cell Phone, Police Say Woman Walks Into Route 3 Hotel Room, Steals Cell Phone, Police Say
Woman Walks Into Route 3 Hotel Room, Steals Cell Phone, Police Say A woman from Passaic was arrested after she walked into a stranger’s unlocked hotel room and stole her phone, police in Clifton said. Officers responded to the Howard Johnson's hotel on Route 3 West on Monday, June 2, 2025, around an undisclosed time, after a 23-year-old woman reported her phone had been stolen, according to the Clifton Police Department. The victim told police that another woman walked into her room while the door was momentarily left unlocked. The woman grabbed the victim’s cell phone and ran off. The victim followed the woman, later identified as Natalie Valles, 42, of …
Canadian Wildfire Smoke Drifting Into NJ Triggering Alerts: Check Your Town's Index Canadian Wildfire Smoke Drifting Into NJ Triggering Alerts: Check Your Town's Index
Canadian Wildfire Smoke Drifting Into NJ Triggering Alerts: Check Your Town's Index With summer-like heat moving in, health officials have issued a Code Orange Air Quality Alert for much of New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and the Philadelphia metro area on Wednesday, June 4 (scroll down to check your town's air quality index). The alerts, in effect from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., warn that ground-level ozone pollution could reach unhealthy levels for sensitive groups, including children, the elderly, and those with heart or lung disease, authorities in each state said. Click here to see today's air quality forecast. In New Jersey, the Department of Environmental Protection iss…
NJ Native Loretta Swit Dies; Played Colorful Character 'Hot Lips' Houlihan On M*A*S*H NJ Native Loretta Swit Dies; Played Colorful Character 'Hot Lips' Houlihan On M*A*S*H
NJ Native Loretta Swit Dies; Played Colorful Character 'Hot Lips' Houlihan On M*A*S*H Loretta Swit, who starred on one of the most popular shows in television history, has died. Swit, who played the charming and colorful head nurse Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on the CBS smash hit M*A*S*H, was age 87 and resided in New York City, where she died early Friday afternoon, May 30. She was a native of Passaic, New Jersey. A cause of death has not been announced. After performing in theatrical productions, including on Broadway, Swit moved to Hollywood in 1969 and appeared on several successful TV series, including Hawaii Five-O, Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, and Mannix. H…
Deadbeat Crackdown: 18 Arrested In Passaic County Child Support Sweep Deadbeat Crackdown: 18 Arrested In Passaic County Child Support Sweep
Deadbeat Crackdown: 18 Arrested In Passaic County Child Support Sweep Eighteen fugitives were arrested in a two-day child support enforcement operation led by the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, the department said. The sweep took place on Wednesday and Thursday, May 21 and 22, in partnership with the Superior Court of New Jersey-Passaic Vicinage Probation Division and Child Support Division,  Sheriff Thomas Adamo announced. “During the two-day initiative, sheriff’s officers and detectives successfully apprehended 18 fugitives, including one individual wanted for Endangering the Welfare of a Child,” Adamo said. “It should be noted that one of the fugit…
NJ Mom Of 3 Shot Through Door In PA; Killer Pleads Guilty, Sentenced To Decades: DA NJ Mom Of 3 Shot Through Door In PA; Killer Pleads Guilty, Sentenced To Decades: DA
NJ Mom Of 3 Shot Through Door In PA; Killer Pleads Guilty, Sentenced To Decades: DA A man who gunned down a mother of three through her apartment door in Allentown while her children were home asleep has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to decades in state prison, authorities announced on Thursday, April 17. Obadiah Whack, 30, of Allentown, pleaded guilty to Murder of the Third Degree and Possession of a Firearm Prohibited, both felonies of the first degree, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan said. He was sentenced by Judge James T. Anthony to 30 to 60 years in state prison. The plea deal came after three days of trial before a jury and was reached prior to …
Man With Phony License Plates Busted In Wallington: Police Man With Phony License Plates Busted In Wallington: Police
Man With Phony License Plates Busted In Wallington: Police A man was arrested in Wallington on Friday, April 11, while driving a car with a stolen license plate and giving police false information, authorities said. At 10:30 a.m., a license plate reader alerted officers to a blue Hyundai Santa Cruz traveling east on Wallington Avenue, displaying a stolen license plate registered out of New York, Wallington police said. During a traffic stop, the driver, Daniel Gatson, presented a driver’s license belong to an individual who had an active warrant in Virginia, police said. Gatson was charged with receiving stolen property, exhibiting a false governm…
NJ Birthday Girl Feared Dead In Jet Set Club Collapse, Family Says NJ Birthday Girl Feared Dead In Jet Set Club Collapse, Family Says
NJ Birthday Girl Feared Dead In Jet Set Club Collapse, Family Says She went to celebrate her birthday. She never made it home. New Jersey's Jennifer Contreras was one of the victims killed Tuesday, April 8 when the roof of a popular nightclub in the Dominican Republic came crashing down during a concert, according to her brother Anthony, of Passaic. “My beloved sister, Jennifer C. Contreras, was a victim of the tragedy from negligence at Jet Set Night Club in Santo Domingo,” Anthony Contreras wrote on a GoFundMe launched to help bring his sister’s body back to the U.S. Jennifer had flown to the island to celebrate both her birthday and that of a family fr…
Murder Victim's Body Recovered From Hudson River, Tattoo Artist Killer Jailed: Prosecutor Murder Victim's Body Recovered From Hudson River, Tattoo Artist Killer Jailed: Prosecutor
Murder Victim's Body Recovered From Hudson River, Tattoo Artist Killer Jailed: Prosecutor The body of a man who authorities say was shot dead by a Bergen County tattoo artist and then dumped into the Hudson River was identified as the remains recovered from the water last month. Julio Torres' body was discovered in the Hudson River near Pier C Park in Hoboken on Sunday, March 23, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. On Wednesday, April 2, a DNA report positively identified Torres, 23, of Passaic, as the victim. Erick Fernandez, a 26-year-old Lodi resident and tattoo artist was arrested and charged on Thursday, Feb. 6, after he shot Torres and then fled the scene wit…
‘Justice for Daniella’: Friends Rally Around Mother After Daughter’s Passaic Murder ‘Justice for Daniella’: Friends Rally Around Mother After Daughter’s Passaic Murder
‘Justice for Daniella’: Friends Rally Around Mother After Daughter’s Passaic Murder A heartbroken Passaic mother is receiving an outpouring of support after launching a GoFundMe campaign to help bury her 31-year-old daughter who was fatally stabbed inside a Passaic home on Sunday, March 16, authorities said. The fundraiser, started by Francesca Cwynar, has raised more than $2,800 as of press time to support Daniella Davis' grieving mother, Rose Mele. Mele's LinkedIn page shows she works as a secretary for the Clifton Board of Education. “I am writing on behalf of a dear friend, Rose Mele, a resilient and selfless woman,” Cwynar wrote on the fundraiser. “On March 16, Rose’s…
NJ Security Guard Guilty Of Hitting Homeless Shoplifter With Cop Car: Prosecutor NJ Security Guard Guilty Of Hitting Homeless Shoplifter With Cop Car: Prosecutor
NJ Security Guard Guilty Of Hitting Homeless Shoplifter With Cop Car: Prosecutor A 57-year-old Rutherford Family Dollar security guard was convicted on Wednesday, Feb. 26 of hitting a shoplifter with a police car, authorities said. Frederic Parisi was convicted of aggravated assault, endangering an injured victim and impersonating police officer for the 2020 incident which left the victim, Hector Rodriguez with life-threatening injuries, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens II said. On Friday, March 13, 2020, Parisi, a security guard at the Family Dollar store at 131 Clinton Ave. chased Rodriguez in a police car, struck him with the vehicle and then sprayed him in …
SNL's Joe Piscopo Returns Home To North Jersey For Book Signing SNL's Joe Piscopo Returns Home To North Jersey For Book Signing
SNL's Joe Piscopo Returns Home To North Jersey For Book Signing As "Saturday Night Live" celebrates its 50th anniversary, former cast member Joe Piscopo, a North Jersey native, is ready to tell his story. Piscopo, who was born in Passaic and grew up in North Caldwell, is signing copies of his new book, "Average Joe: The Memoirs of a Blue-Collar Entertainer" at Bookends in Ridgewood on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. In the book, Piscopo talks about getting started in the New York standup scene where he befriended Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David and Gilbert Gottfried, according to a synopsis.  On SNL, he made millions laugh with his skits with Eddie Murph…
Bob Dylan Biopic Filmed In NJ Scores 8 Oscar Nominations Bob Dylan Biopic Filmed In NJ Scores 8 Oscar Nominations
Bob Dylan Biopic Filmed In NJ Scores 8 Oscar Nominations "A Complete Unknown," the Bob Dylan biopic that was shot throughout New Jersey, received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, when nominees were announced on Thursday, Jan. 23. Timothee Chalamet who plays the iconic singer/songwriter as he navigates the New York music scene in the 1960s, was nominated for Best Actor while James Mangold was nominated for Best Director. Monica Barbaro, who plays Joan Baez, was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, while Edward Norton, who plays Pete Seeger, was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. The movie also received nominations for B…
New Jersey Director, Actors Receive Oscar Nominations New Jersey Director, Actors Receive Oscar Nominations
New Jersey Director, Actors Receive Oscar Nominations The Garden State will be well represented at the 97th annual Academy Awards with natives Sean Baker, Zoe Saldaña, Sebastian Stan and Jesse Eisenberg all receiving nominations on Thursday, Jan. 23. Sean Baker, who was born in Summit, was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Original Screenplay for "Anora," about a Russian stripper who  impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch, only for his family to try and get the marriage annulled. Growing up in Short Hills, Baker later attended Gill St. Bernard's School in Somerset County. Baker's films prima…
Passenger, 22, Killed In Route 80 Crash: NJSP Passenger, 22, Killed In Route 80 Crash: NJSP
Passenger, 22, Killed In Route 80 Crash: Njsp A 22-year-old Union City man was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Route 80 early Saturday, Jan. 18, authorities said. A Honda driven by a 22-year-old Belleville man was heading west when it veered off the road and struck a tree in Knowlton near milepost 6.2 around 3:05 a.m., according to New Jersey State Police Sgt. Charles Marchan. The driver sustained minor injuries in the crash, while one passenger, a 19-year-old Passaic man, suffered moderate injuries. A second passenger, age 22, of Union City, died of his injuries, Marchan said. The victim's name was not released. The crash re…
Arctic Blast Will Follow Snow Showers Across NJ With Temps We Haven't Seen In Years, NWS Says Arctic Blast Will Follow Snow Showers Across NJ With Temps We Haven't Seen In Years, NWS Says
Arctic Blast Will Follow Snow Showers Across NJ With Temps We Haven't Seen In Years, NWS Says Light snow showers are forecast to begin Thursday afternoon, Jan. 16 across parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, potentially creating slippery conditions during the evening commute, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).  A Hazardous Weather Outlook has been issued for several northeast New Jersey counties, including Passaic, Hudson, Bergen, Essex, and Union, with snowfall set to begin after 4 p.m. Most areas are expected to see less than one inch of snow, though localized accumulations of up to two inches are possible in parts of eastern Pennsylvania near and north of …
Golden Globes: NJ Talent Shines With Multiple Wins Golden Globes: NJ Talent Shines With Multiple Wins
Golden Globes: NJ Talent Shines With Multiple Wins New Jersey was well-represented at this year’s Golden Globe Awards/ Several Garden State natives and alumni took home top honors in some of the night’s biggest categories at the Sunday, Jan. 5 event hosted by Nikki Glaser. Zoe Saldaña, a Passaic native, won Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Netflix's "Emilia Pérez." The role has been widely praised as one of her most dynamic yet. Sebastian Stan, a Rutgers University graduate, earned the award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for his role in "A Different Man." Stan was also nominated in the Best Actor in a…
MURDER-SUICIDE: Bergen County Native Among 3 Dead In Post-Christmas Tragedy MURDER-SUICIDE: Bergen County Native Among 3 Dead In Post-Christmas Tragedy
Murder-suicide: Bergen County Native Among 3 Dead In Post-Christmas Tragedy A New Jersey man and newly-retired New York State Police employee was shot and killed by his neighbor in Upstate New York who then killed his wife, and then himself, in a post-Christmas tragedy, according to officials and those who loved him. Thomas K. Fusco, 65, who was born in Passaic and raised in Saddle Brook, was found dead from a gunshot wound when New York State Police responded to a shooting at 10 Sunset Point Yankee Lake in Mamakating at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 26, New York State Police said.  Police executing a search warrant at a neighbor's house found the bodies of…