Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino announced today that the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has obtained an arrest warrant charging Justin Hazel, 25, of East Orange with the stabbing murder of Floyd McLean, 39, of East Orange.
Hazel was also charged with two weapons offenses – illegal possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
McLean was fatally stabbed on Nov. 18, 2010. It was originally believed that he was stabbed in East Orange. The investigation revealed McLean was stabbed in Orange at a home after a fight between Hazel and McLean over a mutual acquaintance.
The victim drove away from the scene with the stab wound. He crashed into an occupied vehicle and hit the curb before coming to a final rest at the intersection of Central and South Oration Parkway in East Orange. When police and emergency medical personal arrived on the scene they initially thought McLean had simply been in an automobile accident.
When he was pulled from the car it was determined he had a chest wound that appeared to be unrelated to the motor vehicle accident. The preliminary autopsy concluded he had been fatally stabbed prior to the collision.
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office is seeking help from the public locating Hazel. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Orange Police Department or the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office tip line at 1-877-847-7432.
Bail for Hazel was set at $500,000 by the Honorable Peter Vazquez.
