Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Newark Police Director Eugene Venable have announced that authorities are investigating the death of a 17 year old city resident.
Authorities said on Monday, at approximately 6:00 pm, Newark police officers responded to the 100 block of Littleton Avenue on the report of a possible dead body at this location.
Arriving officers located an unresponsive male in a rear yard at this location. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:26 p.m.
The victim ha been identified as Yusef A. Perez, age 17, of Newark.
This incident is being investigated by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Task Force, which includes detectives from the Newark Police Department, according to Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas S. Fennelly of the Prosecutor’s Homicide Unit.
The exact cause of death will be determined by an autopsy at the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, according to Fennelly, who added that the matter is being investigated as a homicide.
The investigation is active and ongoing at this time, according to Fennelly. Anyone with information is asked to contact Task Force detectives at (877) 847-7432 or (973) 621-4586.