2004 Media Releases:

CAMDEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
VINCENT P. SARUBBI, CAMDEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR
MEDIA   INFORMATION

May 19, 2004

Camden County Prosecutor Vincent P. Sarubbi and Acting Camden Police Chief Edwin J. Figueroa reported that three Camden men were charged with Murder today in connection with the fatal shooting of Hiram Rosa, a 22-year-old student at Rutgers University's Camden campus, in February 2001.

Allen Resto, a.k.a. Tito Allen, M/24, of the 900 block of Cedar Street, is accused of firing multiple shots at Rosa. Bernard Murray, a.k.a. B Nice, M/30, of the 1300 block of Drayton Street, and Lorenzo Hardwick, a.k.a. Fuquan, M/37, of the 800 block of State Street, are charged as accomplices. All three are in federal custody facing drug conspiracy charges. No proceedings are scheduled at this time in Superior Court, where Judge Samuel D. Natal set bail today at $500,000 for each defendant. They face up to life in prison if convicted.

It is alleged that the defendants, along with co-defendant Enrique "Ricky" Perez, agreed on Feb. 19, 2001, that they would look for Rosa so they could kill him. It is further alleged that they drove around Camden in a rented minivan, each armed with a firearm, spotted Rosa and then shot him.

Perez pleaded guilty on Tuesday, May 18, 2004, to Aggravated Manslaughter, admitting that he fired numerous shots at Rosa with an AK-47 assault weapon as the victim was standing by his vehicle at 2nd and Linden streets. Perez faces up to 25 years in prison when sentenced on Nov. 5, 2004. As part of his plea arrangement, Perez has agreed to cooperate fully in the ongoing investigation into Rosa's slaying and to testify at trial against his co-defendants.

Investigation indicates that Rosa was targeted because of his longtime friendship with a Camden man who was involved in a North Camden drug territory dispute with the defendants. Investigation uncovered no indication that Rosa was involved in any criminal activity.

Sarubbi credited agencies involved in the investigation - the U.S. Attorney's Office under the direction of U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Christopher Christie; the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Lampinski; Rutgers Police, under the direction of Chief Guy Still; Camden Police, under the direction of Chief Edwin J. Figueroa; the Camden County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael W. McLaughlin; the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Pasterchick; and the U.S. Marshal's Service, under the direction of U.S. Marshal James T. Plousis.

All persons charged with or accused of criminal offenses are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court of law.