Police Arrest Newark Men for Murder Behind Supermar 3:45 Pjn
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RECEIVED 6 2002 ACLE r i CLARK, N.J,,VOL. 12 NO. 35 THURSDAY, JUNE 06, 2002 mycfark.com . TWO SECTIONS Police arrest Newark men for murder behind supermar 3:45 pJn. and police arrived at the scene shortly after the Taurus had pulled Two suspects connected to brutal double murder in Irvington as well away. By Michael N. Moretti the Clark Circle at Exit 135 off the Garden State Parkway. Police spread out from the gas station to look for the vehicle and discovered Managing Editor Manahan said Bullock came to Clark police headquarters on Friday at 3 am Cooper's body, shot once in the head, laying in the alley way and loading dock Police arrested two Newark men for the murder of Christopher Demetrius and was arrested there after he gave himself up following a call to his home by behind ShopRite at 4 pan. Cooper, 32, of Scotch Plains, whose body was discovered behind a Central police. Sowell, who uses the name Antwan Mitchell, 28, was arrested outside a The Taurus was discovered the next day dumped in the parking lot of a shop- Avenue ShopRite supermarket on a rainy afternoon in late March. pharmacy in Union Township in a parking lot off Caldwell Place and Morris ping center near the Five Points area in Union Township. The automobile The two men were incarcerated in Union County jail on Monday. The men Avenue by Prosecutor's Detective Carl Riley and Lt Edward Fitzgerald after he belonged to Cooper's ex-girlfriend who has never been a suspect in the case. were charged with the first-degree murder of Cooper in Clark behind ShopRite drove up in the car to voluntarily meet with detectives on Saturday afternoon. In an effort to find who was driving the car on the afternoon of March 26, as well as the murder of two other men in Irvington who had been found bound, "Our investigative team aided by a simple tip from a caller who used the police fanned out through neighborhoods in Clark and Union in a joint investi- gagged and shot last week in their apartment The suspects, according to reports 24-hour Crimestoppers number to call with information about something gation with Union and Essex counties searching for clues to the identity and and evidence collected by Clark Police and Union County Prosecutor's office, unusual he saw, has developed the evidence to solve three very violent mur- final movements of the suspects driving the Taurus. seemed to have known their victims on a personal basis prior to the murder. ders," Manahan said. A breakthrough was developed by Clark Detective David Satkowski and Pro- The suspects are Newark residents as was Cooper, prior to moving to Scotch The story unraveled through a slew of witness reports and data compiled by secutor's Detective Bridget Lawrence, according to the Prosecutor's Office, Plains. Their names were "logged in" at the Union County jail by the Prosecu- Clark police and the Union County Prosectuor's Office from a confusing col- which included deductions made from examining dozens of witness reports and tor's Office because the men were known to have alliances. Henry "Sal" Bul- lection of reports. But the key piece of information was the phone which came data from the cell phone discarded minutes after the murder and found later. lock, 34, of C. Avon Avenue and Marquis Sowell, 28, of 188A Newton St., from the caller who witnessed something discarded from the window of a 1997 The cell phone became a piece of evidence in the investiagtion when a caller were being held on $1 million bail. Ford Taurus just before the murder in Clark. using the Union County Crimestoppers tipline telephoned authorities after he Union County Prosecutor Thomas Manahan in a joint announcement Mon- Everything stemmed from a silver Taurus station wagon whose drivers had read and heard about a Taurus wagon used by the defendents to escape and day afternoon with Acting Essex County Prosecutor Donald Campolo and pulled into the Exxon gas station on March 26 at the corner of Central Avenue recalled seeing an object thrown from such a car as it rounded the circle under Clark Police Chief Anton Danco said the key piece of evidence in the investiga- and Raritan Road in Clark and purchased $10 worth of gas. Attention was the Parkway exit in Clark. tion was a cellular phone. Officials said the pair were arrested over the weekend aroused by pedestrians and gas station employees when there was an apparent "It was recovered by detectives in a damaged condition in a parking lot of a at the close of a case broken by numbers from a discarded cell phone found near struggle and cry for help from inside the vehicle. One witness called 9-1-1 at See PHONE, Page 2 Time will N&W leadership sweep away the mayfly guides education- By Cheryl Hehl Taylor to become ALJ principal Staff Writer By Michael N. Moretti They're baaaaccck — the mayflies Managing Editor that is — and with a vengeance. As expected, the face of Clark education will change in the next school year. Swarming mayflies inundated resi- Many were apprehensive about the departure of so many retiring teachers who dents of Cranford and Clark living have been in the district for so long. However, fears can be put to rest in many near the Hyatt Hills Golf Course last ways as well qualified, and in some cases well known, individuals step up to fill week, making it impossible for picn- the task at hand. ics, reading a good book, or working Arthur L. Johnson High School will bring one of its own into die principal's in the outdoor garden. office. Robert Taylor, a veteran teacher and Clark school administrator, will When the Hyatt Hills Golf Com- take over the job currently held by David Carl who will be retiring this summer mission agreed to purchase more than along with 30 veteran educators in the district. $800 worth of blue gill fish and min- The position of principal at ALJ carries a lot of responsibility given the cur- nows for the pond located on the •> « rent climate of the district Taylor has been a vice principal as well as football Cranford side of the golf course, offi- coach. He also holds degrees in physical education adminsttation from The Col- cials in bothmuncipalities thought the lege of New Jersey. Taylor began teaching physical education at Colons High problem was under control. School in 1969. Unfortunately, said Township Health Officer Warren Hehl, even •n* Taylor also seems to have die respect of the faculty. Kurt Epps, who is presi- nature needs time to work. In this case dent of the teachers union and a veteran teacher at the high school, endorses it will take a few months for the 2,400 Taylor as "the best decision the school board has ever made." blue gills and minnows, which are Joseph BelTramba is one of the newer faces to come to the district. He will be natural predators of the oldest primi- the new principal at Frank Hehnly Elementary School, replacing the current tive winged insect found near lakes, principal, Linda Levine, who also is reitring. Although new to Clark, Beltramba rivers and ponds, to do their job. is not new to education. Beltramba has master's of education from William The problem first surfaced in April Paterson College as well as a master's degree in special education of emotional- when residents of both communities ly handicapped and a bachelor's degree in special education in secondary and began calling the local health depart- * **»; elementary education. He has been teaching and administrating in New Jersey ments seeking solutions to the annoy- since 1977. He has worked in all facets of the school system as a teacher, princi- ing problem. Residents living on pal and school administrator. Georgia Street in Cranford and Clark v-hE b iHHE ojj Shirley Bergin will be replacing Joseph Streit as principal of Valley Road were especially hard bit, reporting — Ill |h "7 I- ii.itul Elementary School. Bergin has been in the education field since 1974 as teacher hundreds, even thousands of the "• U. ' H Hi I > I V. -\, and administrator. She brings with her a master* s degree in education from The swarming insects. I ; I - • 'if.'- u: ., ;r, r College of New Jersey as well as elementary and special education degrees Following the action taken to com- homes to enjoy the out- form Kean University. bat the pests, calls still came in from doors on Monday under The position of Director of Special Services will be taken by Paul J. Palozzo- those living adjacent to the site in blue skies in short sleeves. la. Palozzola has master's degree in administration and a bachelor's degree in Clark and Cranford. Hehl fielded the Playing tennis next to Bre- wer Scn o1 special education as well as fine art He is moving from a position as a special calls from both towns this week sub- ° are, above, services director in the Fort Lee public schools and had taught for a number of stituting for Clark Health Officer Scott Klimchak, 11, a fifth- years prior to that. Nancy Ogonowski who was on grader at Valley Road vacation. School and Bill Weslosky, According to Superintendent of Schools Paul Ortenzio, the candidates were 16, a sophomore at Arthur reviewed and decided upon by a review committee of six administrators. After While the mayflies are a nuisance, L. Johnson High school.