Crime scene evidence placards littered the sidewalk and rear of a home at the intersection of Whittaker Avenue and Elmer Street, suggesting another tragedy had struck the capital city.
Ricardo Montalvan Jr., 23, was shot and killed Wednesday night, becoming the seventh person to die by gunfire in Trenton this year.
Police found Montalvan sitting in a silver Toyota Camry that was parked in the 200 block of Whittaker suffering from multiple gunshot wounds around 10 p.m. Wednesday. Montalvan died at the hospital, less than an hour after the shooting.
Montalvan was arrested in April last year after police saw him smoking marijuana in his car and then found him in possession of prescription pills, ecstasy and two guns.
Ricardo Montalvan Jr.
At the time, police said Montalvan was sitting in his car near the corner of Elmer and Whittaker when officers allegedly saw him smoking pot. After police arrested him, they found that he was in possession of a .38 caliber revolver, a .380 semi-automatic pistol, 20 grams of ecstasy, 180 grams of marijuana, more than 100 oxycodone pills, more than a dozen Xanax pills and an undetermined about of Suboxone, which is a prescription drug used to treat opiate addiction.
His family and friends will remember him as a "humble and funny" person who was "loved by many."
"He was a fun-loving gentleman, very humble and very supportive of his brother Carlos as an artist," a friend who asked to remain anonymous said. "My heart breaks for Carlos and I'm at a loss for words because anything I say won't bring his brother back. I continue to pray that this violence in Trenton finds an end."
Police have not released a suspect description nor a motive for Wednesday's slaying.
Anyone with information about the murder is asked to call the Mercer County Homicide Task Force at (609) 989-6406 or contact the Trenton Police confidential tip line at (609) 989-3663. Individuals may also call the Trenton Crime Stoppers tip line at (609) 278-8477. Those wishing to text a tip can send a message labeledTCSTIPS to Trenton Crime Stoppers at 274637.