Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino today announced the arrest of Richard Smith, 28, of Newark for the Dec. 18, 2006 shooting death of Charles Mathis, 24, of Newark. He was charged with first degree murder and weapons offenses.
Smith was already in custody on an unrelated matter when he was charged with the murder and weapons offenses. On Mar. 2, 2010 he was arrested and charged with possession of seven pounds of marijuana. The arrest was made by the Irvington Violent Crimes Task Force which is made up of officers from the Irvington Police Department, the New Jersey State Police and the Essex Court Prosecutor’s.
Mathis was fatally stabbed in the chest at the St. Johns night club on Central Avenue in East Orange on Dec. 18, 2006.
Smith is currently being held at the Essex County Correctional Facility on $400,000 bail.
The criminal charges are mere accusations. The defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
