FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Raymond Worrall

PHONE: (201) 320-3550

EMAIL:  rworrall@hcpo.org

DATE: Friday, March 13, 2020

EAST ORANGE MAN ARRESTED ON MURDER CHARGES FOR FATAL JERSEY CITY SHOOTING

Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez has released the following information:

On March 13, 2020, members of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Homicide Unit arrested and charged Eric Ballon, age 33, of East Orange, in connection with the March 6, 2020 murder of Rashawn Bethea in Jersey City. He was arrested without incident at the Essex County Correctional Facility where he was being held on unrelated charges.

Ballon was charged with Murder in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3, a first-degree crime; Possession of a Weapon (firearm) for an Unlawful Purpose in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4a(1), a second-degree crime; and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (firearm) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b(1), a second-degree crime.

On March 6, 2020, at approximately 11:30 p.m., members of the Jersey City Police Department responded to a report of shots fired in the area of Wegman Parkway between Bergen Avenue and Martin Luther King Drive in Jersey City.

Upon their arrival, officers located a male later identified as Rashawn Bethea, age 28, of Jersey City, suffering from gunshot wounds to his torso. Bethea was pronounced dead at approximately 11:45 p.m. The Cause of death was determined to be multiple gunshot wounds and the Manner of death was determined to be homicide.

Prosecutor Suarez credited the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit for the investigation and arrest with the assistance of the East Orange Police Department and the Jersey City Police Department.

The above charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. R.P.C.3.6(b)(6).