A community is mourning Jairah Biggs and her mother Malika Whiting. The mother and daughter were found shot to death inside a home in Trenton, New Jersey. Police said a person of interest is in custody on unrelated charges but no one has been officially charged. NBC10’s Brian Sheehan speaks to a woman who mentored Jairah as well as Trenton Mayor W. Reed Gusciora.
UPDATE: Officials announced an arrest and charges in the double homicide. Latest details here.
An investigation is underway after a woman and her teen daughter were both found shot to death inside a home in Trenton, New Jersey.
On Saturday, April 12, 2025, around 10:30 a.m., police responded to a home on the 300 block of West State Street after receiving a 911 call reporting two deceased victims. When they arrived, they found a 13-year-old girl in a third-floor bedroom and a 40-year-old woman in the stairway leading to the third floor.
Both victims were suffering from gunshot wounds and they were both pronounced dead at the scene. In a released statement, Trenton Mayor W. Reed Gusciora identified the woman as Malika Whiting and her daughter as Jairah Biggs.
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"The news of this horrific act of violence has shaken our community," Gusciora wrote. "The family's roots are in the community and throughout the City. No mother and daughter should ever be taken from this world in such a tragic and violent way."
Investigators said a person of interest in the double shooting was detained on unrelated charges. No arrests have been made in the incident however and police continue to investigate.
On Monday, Gusciora told NBC10 the incident was likely a domestic violence situation.
"It's suspected domestic violence and that this is a horrendous incident and that if there are instances like this we really hope that victims and families go to the police to timely put an end to this," he said.
Gusciora said Biggs was a well-liked student in the Trenton Public School District. On Monday, grief counselors were at the schools the girl attended.
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"This is something people have a hard time processing. Rightfully so," Gusciora said. "Particularly when somebody is so young and innocent that they did not deserve this at all."
Gabrielle Williams told NBC10 she knew both victims and mentored Biggs in a program that helps students in grades 7 through 12 prepare for college.
"If you just take a look at her face, like, you'd just see that she was a sweet girl," Williams said. "I hope that justice gets served because at the end of the day, Jai didn't even get to reach high school. She's not going to get to grow up and that's unfair."
Williams said the girl's death will leave a devastating impact on everyone, especially her classmates.
"My heart breaks for the kids. It breaks for her family. Her siblings. And whatever they need, as the community, we are here for whatever they need," she said.
A prayer vigil is being planned for the victims later this week at Cadwalader Park on West State Street, according to Gusciora.
Trenton Police and the Mercer County Homicide Task Force are both investigating the shooting.
If you have any information on the incident, please call Mercer County Homicide Task Force Detective Scott Peterson at 609-649-9218 or Sgt. Roberto Reyes at 609-256-0997. You can also email mchtftips@mercercounty.org.
