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N.J. gangs linked to Easton slayings

A Jersey City shooting victim's keys were reportedly found at an Easton apartment where three people were slain Thursday.

By Jarrett Renshaw and Joe McDonald Of The Morning Call

December 4, 2007

Less than two days before he was gunned down in an Easton apartment, Alphe Rene was spotted with a dozen alleged gang members at a park in Jersey City, N.J., according to police. Later that night, a 21-year-old Newark, N.J., man, James Singleton, was fatally shot multiple times in that park, according to the Hudson County prosecutor's office and Jersey City police reports. Singleton's keys were recovered from the crime scene in Easton where Rene, 21, Aleah Hamlin, 19, and Chanel Armour, 23, were shot to death early Thursday, according to a high ranking New Jersey law enforcement official, who declined to be identified because of the ongoing investigation. Singleton's death, Rene's alleged ties to the Jersey City gangs and the discovery of the keys have led Easton authorities to turn their attention toward northern New Jersey for clues in what Northampton District Attorney John Morganelli called the ''gangland'' slayings at 128 N. 13th St. in Easton's West Ward.

''The investigation is looking at connections to North Jersey,'' said Morganelli, adding that he was unaware of the specific details of the investigation. Easton police did not return phone calls Monday. According to Jersey City officials, Rene was with alleged members of a sect of the Bloods gang who gathered at the park on Nov. 27. Jersey City's gang unit had gone to Arlington Park after getting a tip from a confidential informant that someone in the group had a gun. Nobody was arrested, but police took the names of the people in attendance, including Rene's, Jersey City police officials said. Rene reportedly gave a Bethlehem address. The Hudson County prosecutor's office said Singleton, an alleged member of a Bloods sect, was shot less than an hour later in retaliation for fatally shooting one man and injuring another earlier that day in nearby West Orange, N.J. Calvin Vallejo, 21, of Jersey City was charged in connection with Singleton's death on Thursday morning, according to published accounts.

Shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday, Rene, Hamlin, and Armour were shot several times on the third floor of the Easton apartment, Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek said. Morganelli and Easton police called the killings a home invasion but had only vague descriptions of three men seen leaving the apartment. They said the three suspects knew their intended target. Morganelli said he concluded the killings were gang-related largely based on the way the victims were killed and early information coming from northern New Jersey. The Easton shootings took place in an apartment rented by Kim Slack, who was home at the time with her two children, according to a family member of Slack's. The family member said Slack was allowing at least one of the victims to temporarily stay at her apartment. Lakimdel Spring, 21, of Newark, was in the shower at the time of the shootings and managed to run to a local bar, where he called police.

Spring was charged with giving police a fake name and is being held in Northampton County Prison under $50,000 bail. He was described by Easton police as being uncooperative. Javan Shackelford, an uncle to Hamlin and Armour, who were cousins, said based on conversations with police, Rene seems to have been the intended target. As part of their investigation, police also are interested in a car reported stolen from Irvington, N.J., that was recovered Nov. 26 behind 1117 Lehigh St. The car had front end damage and all the tires were missing.

jarrett.renshaw@mcall.com

610-770-2151

Copyright ? 2007, The Morning Call