Law enforcement officials in New Jersey have announced that a 38-year-old Trenton man has been charged with murder and related offenses after he, allegedly, robbed three businesses at gunpoint and, in one case, killed the owner of a marijuana dispensary.
On Wednesday morning, law enforcement officials announced that Paul X. McNeil, 38, of Trenton, was charged with murder, robbery, weapons violations and related offenses tied to three robberies that happened in 2022 and 2023.
According to court documents, the first incident tied to these charges allegedly occurred on September 30, 2022. In this incident, police officials allege McNeil and a co-conspirator -- that was not named in a document shared by officials on Wednesday -- entered an auto recycling shop located in Ewing, New Jersey, as an employee of the show was collecting the businesses proceeds.
In this case, police claim, McNeil stole $150,000 from the shop and a firearm from the employee.
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Later that same day, McNeil purchased a car, putting down a $9,500 deposit in cash, officials said.
Then, nearly a year later, on August 10, 2023, police officials allege McNeil followed the owner of a cannabis store in Trenton to their home in Lawrence Township and followed the owner into their residence.
McNeil held the owner at gunpoint and stole the shop's proceeds, officials said.
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According to court documents, during the course of this crime, the owner's spouse -- who was home at the time -- overheard the business owner tell McNeil "No, no, no … please, here, you can have it," moments before hearing a gunshot that killed the owner of the business.
McNeil also, allegedly, stole jewelry the victim was wearing at the time of the slaying and, court documents claim, police recovered images of him wearing the victim's jewelry off of McNeil's cellphone.
In a third gunpoint robbery, police allege McNeil entered the Ewing home of the owner of a Trenton-based house-flipping business on Sept. 23, 2023.
In this case, court documents claim McNeil tied up three people who were at the home, including two children, as the owner of the business was not at the home at the time.
He forced the three victims into the basement of the home as he searched the house and, police say, eventually stole $4,500 in case from the business along with personal belongings from the business owner and three people he tied up.
“These charges allege that the defendant targeted several local business owners for robbery and murdered one of them. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, together with its federal and local law enforcement partners, will spare no effort to investigate and prosecute violent offenders who target the businesses and residents of New Jersey,” U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Philip R. Sellinger, said in a statement on these charges.
Officials said that, in New Jersey, the murder charged during and in relation to a crime of violence is punishable by death, or a term of imprisonment up to life.
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