Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, Morris County Sheriff James Gannon, and Roxbury Police Chief Dean Adone announce the arrest of Auraceli A. Maldonado, 24, of Irvington, in connection with the shooting of a man at the Roxbury Motel on October 18, 2023.
On October 18, 2023, at approximately 8:54 p.m., authorities were notified that a man had been shot while at the Roxbury Motel on Route 46 in Roxbury. Roxbury Police officers arrived on scene, located a male victim with a gunshot wound to the leg, and provided lifesaving medical aid. The 36-year-old victim was transported to a medical center with severe but not life-threatening injuries. The suspects fled the scene immediately after the incident.
Subsequent investigation revealed the victim had planned to meet with an unknown suspect at the motel. On the date of the incident, surveillance video captured a Honda Accord with New York registration arriving to the motel parking lot, and a man and a woman are depicted exiting the vehicle. It is alleged that these two individuals met with the victim, and that the woman was armed with an AR-style rifle during the interaction. It is alleged that the two suspects robbed the victim, who was shot in the leg during a struggle for the firearm, and fled the scene.
The investigation has revealed Maldonado to be the registered owner of a Honda Accord, which was observed traveling through East Hanover shortly after the incident. Maldonado was subsequently located and detained in Middleburg, Florida on November 2, 2023. The male suspect has not been apprehended or charged at this time.
Maldonado has been charged with Armed Robbery, a crime of the first degree in violation of 2C:15-1a(1); Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, a crime of the second degree in violation of 2C: 39-4a(1); Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery, a crime of the second degree in violation of 2C:5-2a(1); Aggravated Assault, a crime of the second degree in violation of 2C:12b(1); and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, a crime of the third degree in violation of 2C:39-5c(2).
Following her arrest, Maldonado was extradited to New Jersey from Florida and is currently being held at the Morris County Correctional Facility pursuant to the Criminal Justice Reform Act. A preindictment conference is scheduled before the Hon. Ralph E. Amirata, J.S.C. on January 9, 2024.
Prosecutor Carroll acknowledges the efforts of the Roxbury Police Department, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office – Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office on this investigation.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 973-285-6200 or the Roxbury Police Department at 973-448-2100, or anonymously through Morris County Crimestoppers at 973-COP-CALL or copcall.org.