Two New Jersey brothers have been charged with the murder of a grandmother who was shot as she celebrated her birthday on her front porch in Newark last year, officials announced Monday.
21-year-old Jonathan Ritchie and his brother, 19-year-old Josiah Ritchie are also facing weapons charges over the March 11, 2021 death of 63-year-old Debra Derrick, according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
Derrick, a former nursing assistant at Newark Beth Israel Medical center, was on her front porch releasing balloons to celebrate her birthday and the birthday of her late twin sister when she was shot, officials said.
A Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson confirmed that Derrick was not the intended target.
Ramona Derrick, another one of Derrick’s sisters, told the outlet last year that the grandmother was killed as she rushed to shield her grandchildren from the gunfire.
The two brothers, who lived with their mother and stepfather, are originally from Guyana and had previously lived in Atlanta, prosecutors said.
Both are currently held at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark.
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