Arrest made in fatal shooting of Paterson DoorDash driver – NorthJersey.com
Paterson police officers on duty respond to calls and talk about life on the beat in the wake of recent indictments of fellow officers. Filmed on July 24, 2019. Michael Karas, NorthJersey
PATERSON — Authorities arrested an Essex County man on Monday and charged him with murder in connection with the fatal shooting on Oct. 4 of a 43-year-old Paterson woman while she was working as a DoorDash food delivery driver, law enforcement sources said.
The suspect, 34-year-old Quadir A. Whitaker of East Orange, previously was convicted of murder in a 2002 homicide in Freehold Borough, but a state appellate court reversed that conviction in 2008 after Whitaker filed a successful appeal over various issues, including the use of hearsay evidence statements at his trial, according to court records.
Authorities have not revealed the motive in the Paterson homicide. Law enforcement sources and city officials said the killing does not appear to be the result of a botched robbery, or directly connected to the victim’s work as a delivery driver.
Petra Rhoden, 43, was shot multiple times on a dead-end block of Harrison Street, where she was making a delivery at about 10:22 p.m., authorities said. She continued driving until she rammed through a fence and crashed into a shed, authorities said.
Rhoden died from her wounds a short time later at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, according to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office. Three of her children — all young adults — said in interviews two weeks ago that their mother was not frightened by making late-night deliveries in Paterson.
Her cousin said Rhoden was a great human being and will be deeply missed.
“She was never about self but rather helping those around her,” Andrew Rhoden said. “The outpour from people sending condolences has been astonishing but show how much Petra has made a positive impact to others in her life.”
Law enforcement sources said her killers may have been inside another vehicle.
Authorities have not revealed whether they believe Whitaker was the shooter or the driver of the second vehicle.
In addition to murder, Whitaker has been charged with weapons crimes, resisting arrest, violating a state law that prohibits convicted felons from having guns and violating New Jersey’s No Early Release Act.
Rhoden, the victim in the Paterson shooting, had two drug dealing convictions, one in 2014 and another in 2009, state court records show.
Staff Writer Keldy Ortiz contributed to this article.
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