GoFundMe Johnny and Gustavo Perez
Police in the state of New Jersey have arrested two people who are suspected of killing two brothers, aged 8 and 16. The brothers were shot in their home in Trenton.
A statement from the Mercer County District Attorney’s Office confirms that Dajuan “Bando” Kelley, 26, of Ewing Township, and Destanie Ellis, 29, of Morrisville, Pennsylvania, have been charged with two counts of first-degree murder after shooting 8-year-old Johnny Perez and his older brother, 16-year-old Gustavo Perez.
The siblings were on the second floor of a house around 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening when several shots were fired into the building.
Mercer Co Attorney Destanie Ellis
Johnny was hit in the neck while Gustavo suffered gunshot wounds to the back.
Kelley and Ellis were also charged with one count each of second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, one count of second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, and one count of first-degree conspiracy.
Ellis was arrested in Trenton on Thursday, while Kelley was held in Hampton, Georgia on Friday.
Police said Kelley fired the fatal shots. The victims were standing outside a kitchen window when the shooting began.
The statement said the two defendants were sitting in a parked SUV when Gustavo and his 18-year-old brother attempted to open one of the vehicle’s door handles.
Mercer Co Attorney Dajuan “Bando” Kelley
“A verbal argument ensued between the brothers and Kelley and Ellis,” the statement said.
Ellis allegedly drove away in her blue Chevrolet Malibu and called others to pick her up while she “followed Gustavo and his older brother to their residence.”
A short time later, “Ellis, Kelley and other individuals arrived in separate vehicles at the home and Ellis pointed to the house where Gustavo and his older brother had entered. Kelley then began shooting at the men standing outside the window,” the statement said.
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Johnny was not involved in the argument and had followed his brother to the window.
The 18-year-old brother was at home but was not injured by gunfire.
Investigators found surveillance footage in the area showing Ellis and Kelley’s vehicles.
At least eight cartridge cases were seized at the crime scene.
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The two boys were taken to a nearby hospital where they were pronounced dead.
Both defendants are being held without bail. No guilty plea was entered in court and PEOPLE could not determine whether either defendant had an attorney who could speak on their behalf.
A family friend has started a GoFundMe campaign to cover the brothers’ funeral expenses.
