Three indicted in 2021 murder of newburgh taxi driver after multi-state manhunt

NEWBURGH, N.Y. — Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced Wednesday that three men have been indicted in connection with the 2021 fatal shooting of a taxi driver in the City of Newburgh following a years-long investigation spanning multiple states.

Nehemiah Clarke, 20, and Jordan Burch, 19, both of Newburgh, were arraigned in Orange County Supreme Court on charges including second-degree murder and attempted robbery. Damani Cruz, 20, also of Newburgh, was indicted on weapons and conspiracy charges.

Authorities said the shooting occurred on September 30, 2021, around 8:40 p.m., when police responded to reports of gunfire on North Miller Street and found a male victim with a gunshot wound. The man, who was operating a taxi service, later died from his injuries.

Clarke was apprehended on April 10 in South Carolina, where he had enlisted in the U.S. Military. He was taken into custody with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and the Military Criminal Investigation Division. Burch was arrested on April 15 in Hartford, Connecticut. Cruz had already been in custody, serving time on an unrelated conviction.

“The indictment unsealed in this matter is the culmination of a great deal of work by the police and prosecutors assigned to the case,” said Hoovler, who thanked multiple law enforcement agencies, including the City of Newburgh Police Department and the Hudson Valley Crime Analysis Center, for their efforts.

Suspects face multiple felony charges

Clarke and Burch remain held without bail. Cruz is currently incarcerated on a separate matter. Charges against the trio include tampering with physical evidence, conspiracy, and criminal possession of a weapon, in addition to the murder and attempted robbery counts.

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Key Points

Three Newburgh men indicted in the 2021 murder of a taxi driver on North Miller Street.
Nehemiah Clarke and Jordan Burch charged with murder and attempted robbery.
Arrests followed multi-state investigation involving U.S. Marshals and multiple agencies.

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