BREAKING: Two Individuals Arrested for the Murders of Gustavo and Johnny Perez
TRENTON ( MERCER)
Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri announced today that the Mercer County Homicide Task Force has charged a man and a woman in this week’s murders of Gustavo and Johnny Perez on Mulberry Street in Trenton.
Dajuan Kelley AKA “Bando,” 26, of Ewing, and Destanie Ellis, 29, of Morrisville, Pennsylvania, are each charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, one count of second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon and one count of first-degree conspiracy. Ellis was arrested Thursday night in Trenton. Kelley was arrested today in Hampton, Georgia, by the U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force. The prosecutor’s office is filing motions to detain both defendants.
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Mercer County Homicide Task Force. Ellis conspired with Kelley, who ultimately shot and killed Gustavo and Johnny Perez, who were standing in front of a second floor kitchen window of their residence on Mulberry Street.
The shooting occurred around 10:30 p.m. on October 20, 2020. Kelley shot into the second floor of the Perez residence in the 200 block of Mulberry Street. Upon arrival, police located Gustavo, 16, and his brother Johnny, 8, in the kitchen suffering from gunshot wounds. The victims were taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center where they were pronounced dead a short time later.
Officers located eight spent shell casings on the opposite side of Breunig Avenue, approximately 50 feet from Mulberry Street. HTF detectives reviewed numerous surveillance videos from the
area of the homicide and identified two vehicles of interest and two persons of interest. A blue Chevrolet Malibu was observed making a left turn onto Enterprise Avenue, turn around toward Mulberry Street, and park in a no parking zone with its headlights off as Gustavo Perez and his older brother walked toward Breunig Avenue. Moments later, a black Ford Expedition was observed driving at a slow speed following the brothers on Mulberry Street. The driver of the Ford Expedition was observed to be a black male.
The investigation revealed that Destanie Ellis was the driver of the blue Chevrolet Malibu following Gustavo and his older brother, and Dajuan Kelley was identified as the shooter. Prior to the shooting, Ellis and Kelley were sitting in the Ford Expedition on New York Avenue when the brothers walked past her vehicle and attempted to gain entry. A verbal dispute ensued between the brothers and Kelley and Ellis.
Ellis left the area in her blue Chevrolet Malibu and called other individuals to her location as she followed Gustavo and his older brother to their residence. Ellis, Kelley and other individuals arrived on Mulberry Street in separate vehicles, and Ellis pointed out the house where Gustavo and his older brother entered. Then Kelley began shooting at the males who were in standing in front of the window.
Prosecutor Onofri thanked the all of the members of the Mercer County Homicide Task Force, comprised of assistant prosecutors, detectives, officers and agents with the prosecutor’s office, the Trenton police, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office and the New Jersey State Police.
“Law enforcement is always working tirelessly to protect the public and solve crimes, but the work accomplished by the Mercer County Homicide Task Force over the last few weeks has been nothing short of extraordinary,” Prosecutor Onofri said. “To be actively investigating multiple cases, tracking down witnesses and leads, reviewing hours and hours of surveillance footage, obtaining and executing search warrants, all the while responding to new crime scenes as they develop, and be able to make several arrests in multiple cases is an example of unrelenting fortitude and dedication to public safety. I could not be more proud and I can only hope that the community continues to recognize their effort, and remain vigilant and involved.”
Prosecutor Onofri also expressed his gratitude to Mercer County Sheriff Jack Kemler, the Trenton Police Department, the New Jersey State Police and the U.S. Marshals Service for their continued support, shared resources and manpower.
The shooting remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Homicide Task Force at (609) 989-6406. Information can also be emailed to mchtftips@mercercounty.org.
Thankful they were caught and my condolences goes out to the family, as well as all the other families mainly Black who have lost children here in the city to violence, and their murders were never solved, and most likely never will be.
While you’re patting yourselves on your backs, get out there and solve some of these murders of these young Black children under 18 that have been killed in Trenton (murders unsolved), which likely will not be solved. When a Black child or person is shot/killed, I want to see these same resources and manpower used as well. No you treat Black murders as an every day occurrence and do not put the efforts into solving them. All the officials who emerged on this seen are not seen at the murder scenes of our young Black children. I can count the whites and Hispanics killed in the city, and guess what somehow those murders are largely solved. What gives? I have had it with this institutional and structural racism from the era of slavery and Jim Crow. It’s systemic and in the blood of this nation. On Gods judgment seat you officials will be judged severely, because of what you know and pretend it’s not happening.
I totally agree with you in sorry this happen to these kids but if they wouldn’t of been doing something wrong this would not have happened not that it is rite what they did no its not rite but I’m pretty sure if they would have called the police about the situation with the car nothing would have been done to them because things like that has happened and I have seen cops called told about situation and the cops say they can’t file a report because it is not worth reporting any damage or robbery done to your car because the person left or because the premium will be higher than whatever damage was done so what can a person do these kids new they had did something wrong that is why they where at the window looking at the people they had the altercation with following them it doesn’t excuse what they did it is still wrong but if it would of been the other way around it would of been swept under the rug that is the truth there are plenty of young black kids that have lost there lives and there cases are going cold how about them I for the life of me don’t understand what gives these illegal immigrants more rites and respect than an American born and raised here it’s truly an embarrassing situation
Yes indeed this absolutely correct you are patting yourselves on the back for what how about all those other young American kids born and raises here don’t they have the rites to have there cases solved what makes illegal immigrants have more rites than the our children that have been here all there lives born here why aren’t you solving there murders unbelievable how u praise your self for solving one case out of all the other cases you have why was this one so important because I feel all the cases you have how fast you move to solve this one and how the Mayor and Governor jumped to there aid how about all our black children that have lost their live no one mentions them or jumps to solve it so quickly these kids where up to no good just like you would probably say about all the others so why so determine to solve this one truly a sad situation for all the others that don’t get the same respect you should be ashamed of yourself giving yourself praise for what
So very happy these two murders were caught lets not sit here and start with the racial bullshit. It was solved because of the substantial amount of evidence. These two dummies clearly are just that heartless and dumb they got busted quickly oh and look they are both black mhmmmmm? But everybody else is racist yall sound so dumb. Im so sick and tired of hearing oh of if the boys were black it wouldnt be solved such a load of crap play poor picked on pitty!!! Pshhh please! These two idiots lost their lives as well all to prove a point a be tough guys now they can scream blm from their prison cells for the rest of their life they dont care about themselves let alone anybody else they deserve to rot people need to grow up and stop this street war shit where does the creditably get you no where because anybody who somebody in the streets aint doing half the shit they got these young dumb asses doing why they sit up in their house drive nice cars and are freee. Wake up people! How about the 67 year old black women that got shot a few weeks ago or the little girl playing in the park? Trenton is a fucking war zone black killing blacks daily! Its only a problem when its not black on black why doesnt the black community in trenton banned together and stop trying to cover up for bfs husbands cousins sisters brothers mothers fathers who are involved in gangs and drug dealing give yourself a chance in this world lets not teach our children to work and go to school not to rob people steal from stores bully other kids lets teach our children the dangers of gangs but no these poor children grow up in poverty with parents who are gang member drug dealers killers they grow up and think its cool that this the only way and its half of yall kids raising kids like this its such ashame RIP to these young beautiful souls sleep easy fellas god bless the family suffering through this tragic loss. Thank god for the officers on this case and yes pat yourself on the back you did a phenomenal job god bless you!
Fry them both!!
I missed the part about them being illegal immigrants… what paragraph was that mentioned in?
Also I wouldn’t say illegal immigrants have more rights when they were separating families and locking children in cages for months just for crossing a border.