Maplewood, N.J. – Yohan Hernandez, 20, of Newark has been arrested and charged with the murder of Moussa Fofana, 18, of Maplewood, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, and Maplewood Police Chief Jimmy DeVaul announced Friday.
On Sunday, June 6 at approximately 9:38 pm, Maplewood police officers were dispatched to an area of Underhill Field on Garfield Place on reports of a shooting. Arriving officers located Fofana suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:24 pm. A second male victim was treated at an area hospital for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.
Late yesterday Hernandez was taken into custody and charged with murder, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
These are accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they enter a guilty plea or are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The arrest comes following an investigation led by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force with assistance from the Maplewood Police Department, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department under the direction of Sheriff Armando Fontoura, the FBI under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch, Jr. and the U.S. Attorney’s Office under the leadership of Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig.
The investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.
Calls will be kept confidential.