Prosecutors believe a former city drug dealer who had reportedly turned his life around to become a mentor for troubled city youth was killed because of an outstanding drug debt.
The revelation came at a hearing Tuesday in the case of alleged killer, Markquice “Tank” Thomas. 
Markquice Thomas
Thomas, 29, is charged with a pair of city murders, including that of 44-year-old Joseph “Power God” Gaines, who was shot to death in March 2014.
Thomas is also accused of kidnapping and killing 22-year-old Jared Littlejohn in September 2012.
Gaines had sent Thomas text messages sometime before he was slain telling Thomas he intended to pay off the debt, prosecutors said.
“This week you’ll have your money,” he wrote. “No B.S.”
Gaines past criminal life was the center of much debate at the hearing, which was scheduled to determine whether Thomas’ attorney, Robin Lord, must withdraw from her client’s case. A judge has not issued a decision on the recusal motion.
Prosecutors argued Lord must recuse herself from the case because she represented Gaines in an unrelated drug case more than a decade ago.
Korngut said it was a conflict of interest for Lord, who would have had access to information about Gaines she could use to help defend Thomas. Prosecutors added Lord is representing Trenton Police Detective Damon Jefferson, who helped investigate Gaines’ death, in a civil matter.
The only away around the conflict, Korngut said, would be if Gaines agreed.
“He can’t give consent because he’s dead,” Korngut said.
Lord fired back, accusing prosecutors of “shooting from the hip” and said her past representation of Gaines was too distant to matter. She said Thomas was in middle school when she took on Gaines’ case.
Lord also said any suggestion that the motive for Gaines’ murder was drug-related was “stupid” because a drug dealer would want to recoup debts not kill a debtor.
“Why kill somebody who owes you money?” she asked.