HACKENSACK, NJ – Christopher Thomas, a 26-year-old from Hackensack, faces charges of murder and weapons offenses following the death of Mary “Tink” Taylor on October 1, 2023. The incident occurred outside a bar in Paterson’s Great Falls Historic District, directly across from where Taylor lived.
Witnesses reported that five individuals fled the scene in a vehicle shortly after Taylor was shot before 9:30 p.m. The extent of the shooters among them remains uncertain. A Paterson patrol officer initiated a chase of the suspects’ car but discontinued under a department directive limiting pursuits, a policy in place due to a state takeover of the department.
Taylor later succumbed to her injuries at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center. The arrest of Thomas on March 13 was announced by Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Department Officer-In-Charge Isa Abbassi, marking a significant development in the case.
