Third Suspect Arrested in North Plainfield Murder

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NORTH PLAINFIELD, N.J. (PRESS RELEASE) – Somerset County Acting Prosecutor Annmarie Taggart, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives John W. Fodor, and North Plainfield Chief of Police William G. Parenti announced the arrest of Jose Branch, age 23, of West Fourth Street, Plainfield, New Jersey in relation to the homicide death of Steve Camino, age 26, Grove Street, North Plainfield that occurred on March 1, 2022, in North Plainfield, New Jersey.

Acting Prosecutor Taggart stated that on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, at approximately 9:36 p.m., North Plainfield Police responded to the area of Grove Street and Prospect Place following a 9-1-1 call to Somerset County Communications reporting shots fired with a victim. Responding Officers located a male gunshot victim on Grove Street and immediately initiated life saving measures and requested emergency medical personnel to respond. North Plainfield Officers continued CPR until relieved by North Plainfield Fire Department and EMS personnel. The shooting victim, identified as Steve J. Camino, was transported by EMS to an area trauma center where he was pronounced deceased.

Detectives from the North Plainfield Police Department along with the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Crime Scene Investigations Unit responded to conduct the investigation. Investigators from the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office also responded to the scene to conduct the investigation. A post-mortem examination was subsequently performed by the Medical Examiner’s Office which ruled Camino’s death a homicide.

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Acting Prosecutor Taggart stated that on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, as part of this investigation, Jose Branch was arrested in Raleigh, North Carolina without incident with the assistance of the Raleigh Police Department and the United States Marshals Service on charges of 1st degree, Conspiracy to Commit Murder. Defendant Branch was extradited from North Carolina to Somerset County, New Jersey on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 and is currently lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing in this matter.


Acting Prosecutor Taggart would like to thank members of the Raleigh Police Department and the United States Marshals Service for their assistance in this investigation.


Acting Prosecutor Taggart stated that on March 21, 2022, Kenneth Hill, age 21 of South Avenue, Plainfield and Daniel Carrera-Cardona, age 22, of Princeton Road, Piscataway were also arrested in relation to the death of Steve Camino which occurred on March 1, 2022, in North Plainfield, New Jersey.

Defendant Hill was charged with 1st degree Murder, 2nd degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, and 2nd degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon. Defendant Carrera-Cardona was charged with 1st degree Murder and 1st degree Conspiracy to Commit Murder. Defendant Hill and Defendant Carrera-Cardona both remain lodged in the Somerset County Jail.

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