Christopher Thomas
Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Department Officer-In-Charge Isa Abbassi announce that based upon an investigation by the Paterson Police Department, in conjunction with the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, Christopher Thomas, 26-years-old from Hackensack, was arrested on March 13, 2024, in connection to the homicide that took place on October 1, 2023 in the area of Van Houten Street and Cianci Street in Paterson.
Christopher Thomas is charged with Murder, first degree; Conspiracy to Commit Murder, first degree; Unlawful Possession of a Handgun, first degree; Unlawful Possession of a Handgun, second degree; Possession of a Handgun for an Unlawful Purpose, second degree; and Certain Persons Not to Possess Weapons, second degree.
October 1, 2023, at approximately 9:22 p.m., a Paterson Police Officer heard several gunshots in the area of Van Houten Street and Cianci Street. At that time additional patrol units were dispatched to the scene where they located a victim, Mary Taylor, 22-years-old from Paterson, with an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was transported to St. Joseph’s University Medical Center where she was subsequently pronounced deceased. During the course of the investigation, detectives learned that Christopher Thomas was one of the shooters involved in the incident.
Christopher Thomas will be scheduled to appear at Central Judicial Processing for his First Appearance. The State will file a motion for pretrial detention which will be heard by a Superior Court judge at a date and time to be determined by the court.
The crime of Murder has a sentencing range from a minimum of 30 years up to life imprisonment; the crimes of Conspiracy to Commit Murder and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (First Degree) have a sentencing range between 10 years and 20 years in prison; the crimes of Possession of a Handgun for an Unlawful Purpose, Unlawful Possession of a Handgun (Second Degree), and Certain Persons Not to Possess Weapons each have a sentencing range of 5 to 10 years in prison.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office asks anyone with additional information about this incident to contact us on our tips line at 1-877-370-PCPO or tips@passaiccountynj.org or contact the Paterson Police Detective Bureau at 973-321-1120.