By: Richard L. Smith
A state grand jury has declined to file criminal charges against a New Brunswick police officer involved in the fatal shooting of a 68-year-old woman during a police encounter last year.
According to information released by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, the grand jury voted “no bill” after reviewing the investigation into the August 8, 2025 death of Deborah Terrell of New Brunswick.
The decision means no criminal charges will be filed against Officer Josue Plaza of the New Brunswick Police Department.
The Attorney General’s Office said the investigation was conducted by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) under New Jersey’s Independent
Prosecutor Directive, which requires the state to investigate deaths that occur during encounters with law enforcement.
Investigators reviewed 911 recordings, police radio transmissions, body-worn camera footage, witness statements, forensic evidence, medical records, and autopsy findings before presenting the case to the grand jury, which reached its decision on August 3, 2026.
Authorities said officers were first called to an apartment building on Neilson Street around 4 a.m. after reports that Terrell was disturbing other residents.
Later that morning, police received another 911 call reporting that she was threatening neighbors with a knife.
When officers arrived, they attempted to communicate with Terrell, who allegedly opened and closed her apartment door multiple times while holding a knife and, at one point, moved the blade beneath the door toward officers.
According to investigators, officers later deployed pepper spray and a Taser after Terrell stepped into the hallway holding the knife.
Authorities said she then advanced toward officers while still armed, prompting Officer Plaza to fire two shots.
Officers rendered medical aid before Terrell was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Investigators recovered a 12-inch knife at the scene.
The Attorney General’s Office said the grand jury concluded there was insufficient evidence to support criminal charges against the officer.