Reward increased for shooter who killed 63-year-old grandmother on her front porch – NJ.com
Crime Stoppers of Essex County has increased a reward to $25,000 for information leading to the killer of a 63-year-old grandmother who was shot March 11 on her front porch in Newark.
Debra Derrick and her grandchildren were releasing balloons to celebrate her birthday when shots rang out about 8 p.m. in her neighborhood in the 200 block of Lehigh Avenue, investigators said.
Derrick, who had three grown children and was a caretaker for her 79-year-old mother, was taken to University Medical Center in Newark, where she died.
The victim’s sister, Ramona, said that Derrick was not the intended target but had been caught in the crossfire. As the shots were fired, Derrick tried to usher the children to safety, her sister said after the shooting.
“She was making sure that everybody was safe. She was pushing the two granddaughters in the door,” Ramona Derrick said.
Investigators in May released images of two young men they called “persons of interest” and said they want to speak with them about the shooting.
The prosecutor’s office first offered a reward of $10,000, which was increased to $20,000 in June.
“This week the reward was again increased,” Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, and Sheriff Armando Fontoura said in a joint statement.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432. Callers can remain anonymous, the prosecutor said.
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office released photos of two people described as “persons of interest” who investigators were trying to identify in the killing of Debra DerrickECPO
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Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.