Man, evicted from house, charged with killing two
A Camden man charged with killing two people inside a city house was evicted from the residence a day before the shootings, authorities said Thursday.
A Camden man charged with killing two people inside a city house was evicted from the residence a day before the shootings, authorities said Thursday.
James Peterson, 32, was arraigned Thursday on two counts of murder in the killings discovered April 14. Superior Court Judge Edward J. McBride kept Peterson's bail at $2 million.
Authorities allege that Peterson shot Richard Lincoln, 50, and Angel Martinez, 33, both of Camden.
Lincoln was the only authorized resident of the place, authorities said.
Both he and Martinez were found April 14 inside the house in the 500 block of South 8th Street after someone called 911 around 9:45 a.m. about a shooting.
The two were pronounced dead at the scene.
According to a probable cause statement, Peterson, a.k.a. Elijah Williams, was evicted by the property manager on April 13. The statement cited no reason for the eviction and did not specify that as a motive for the slayings.
Peterson was not represented by a lawyer at Thursday's brief proceeding. He was being held in the Camden County Jail.
Police found a .45 caliber shell casing in the living room near Martinez's body, according to the statement. Three casings were found in the second floor bedroom near Lincoln's body, the statement said.
A witness told homicide detectives that Peterson had recently been seen with a .45 caliber handgun inside the residence when Peterson still lived there, the statement said.
Martinez was shot once in the head and Lincoln had several gunshot wounds to the head, authorities said.
According to area surveillance camera footage, Peterson was seen arguing with Lincoln on April 13, the probable cause statement said. Later that day, Peterson and Martinez can be seen on the porch, and walking back and forth toward the street corner, the statement said.
Peterson and Martinez eventually enter the house, the statement said.
Shortly after midnight, the footage shows a man matching Peterson's description leave the house.
856-779-3814 @mlburney