Police originally labeled the three men persons of interest for Sunday's deadly carjacking at the /*Taj Mahal*/ in /*Atlantic City*/.
The suspects' identified as /*Eric Darden*/, /*Raheem Simmons*/, and /*Phillip Byrd*/.
Killed was 28-year-old /*Sunil Rattu*/ of Old Bridge. His companion, 24-year-old /*Radha Ghetia*/ of Sayreville is recovering in a hospital.
Both were shot by the carjackers in an alley not far from the casino.
Atlantic County Prosecutor Theodore Housel said Monday the victims, whom he described as friends, had just left the casino around 8 a.m. when they were accosted by the suspects before they could enter their vehicle. They were robbed of a small amount of cash and forced at gunpoint to drive out of the casino garage and to a nearby alley, where both were shot.
Atlantic City Police received two 911 calls at 8:26 a.m. and 8:27 a.m. reporting gunshots. They found Ghetia being treated by an off-duty firefighter in the alley, suffering from a gunshot wound that went through her upper body and exited. Rattu was found dead in the backseat of the vehicle.
The killing marked the second time since May 2010 that a fatal carjacking began in the Taj Mahal garage. Martin Caballero, 47, of North Bergen, was carjacked last year and later found stabbed to death. Craig Arno, 45, of Atlantic City, and Jessica Kisby, 25, of Egg Harbor Township, are awaiting trial in that case.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit at 609-909-7899 or the Atlantic City Police Department Detective Bureau at 609-347-5766.
