Prosecutors: Suspect in Short Hills Mall carjacking and murder targeted another victim
SHORT HILLS, New Jersey (WABC) -- New information in the trial of one of four men charged in a carjacking and murder at the Short Hills Mall revealed that another victim was allegedly targeted.
Prosecutors disclosed that 36-year-old Basim Henry zeroed in another driver, just days before the carjacking that killed Dustin Friedland.
Jurors also heard testimony about the tracking technology and surveillance operation used to find Friedland's stolen SUV in South Orange.
Friedland was shot in the head during a carjacking in the mall parking lot in December 2013.
Henry is the first of the four suspects to stand trial.
The prosecution wanted to show jurors that the suspects were willing to go extra steps and miles to steal a Range Rover vehicle.
Photo evidence collected by the EZ Pass tolls puts the suspects vehicle on the New Jersey Turnpike three days before the tragedy at the Short Hills Mall.
The evidence suggests the suspects were following the owner of the Range Rover from Exit 14 north to Exit 18W. The driver of the Range Rover did get away.
We reached out to the owner, who had no comment except to say she had been contacted by police and is watching the case closely.
There was more visual evidence of the whereabouts of the suspects before and after the shooting at the mall. Jurors saw surveillance video from a liquor store following the tragedy, where one suspect is asking the cashier for a pint of vodka.
Authorities say right after the shooting, the suspects hurried to the liquor store.
The jurors also saw video of what prosecutors say are some of the suspects buying liquor from another store, just a few hours before the Short Hills carjacking and murder.
Investigators found small bottles of the same brand of vodka purchased by the suspects in the mall parking lot. In addition, both liquor stores are close to where police discovered the Range Rover stolen from the mall.
The witnesses Tuesday included investigators such as the crime scene cop who collected evidence from the hotel where Henry was captured in Easton, Pennsylvania.
The evidence included a black coat, keys, cellphone and wrist watch.
Last week, two police officers who responded to the scene took the stand a day after the emotional testimony from the victim's widow. Jurors also saw crime scene evidence and photos of the victim.
Investigators showed the jurors video evidence of the GMC vehicle allegedly driven by the suspects to the mall and seen speeding away from the parking area and going in the wrong direction after the shooting and carjacking.
Friedland's widow Jamie testified last Wednesday about the events of that night.
