Jersey City man found guilty of killing girlfriend, covering it up as suicide

By Jonathan Lin/The Jersey Journal
February 06, 2014 at 4:34 PM

The word "guilty" was repeated again and again earlier this afternoon when the jury returned its verdicts in the trial of a Jersey City man charged with killing his girlfriend five years ago and then tried to cover it up as suicide.

Woodrow Miller, 23, remained staid and quiet when a jury foreperson declared he was guilty of murdering 17-year-old Quaneera Adams on the night of Dec. 15, 2009 and several other counts, including weapons offenses, hindering apprehension, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, possession of a defaced firearm and impairing a governmental function.

He will be sentenced on April 17, 2014.

Wearing a red dress shirt and gray pants, Miller shook his head somberly in before he was handcuffed by sheriff's officers and being led out of the courtroom.

"We're happy, justice has been served," said Shaday Dwight, 26, Adams' cousin. "Now she can rest."

Miller, who was 19 at the time, shot Adams in the head in their Forrest Street apartment that night and only after cleaning up the scene did he go outside and tell someone to dial 911, police said at the time.

As the guilty verdicts were read aloud today, two women, who could not be identified, began wailing and crying and pushed their way out of the courtroom.

Later, when the prosecutor in the case, Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Christina Krauthamer, walked into a room to meet with Adams' family, cheering and words of congratulations could be heard.

"She can rest in peace now," said Dwight, who was in the room with several other family members, all of whom murmured in agreement.

From the time that Adams was killed until Miller was charged, Adams' family was steadfast in their belief that she would never take her own life and that she was scared of guns.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... _guilty.html#incart_river

Boyfriend who cleaned Jersey City 'suicide' scene charged with murder

By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
December 18, 2009, 1:25PM


Woodrow Miller, 19, of Jersey City has been charged with murder in the death of his 17-year-old girlfriend, which he'd initially reported as a suicide, police said.

The boyfriend of a 17-year-old Jersey City high school student who died from a gunshot wound to the head Tuesday night has been charged with murder, officials told The Jersey Journal this morning.

Woodrow Miller, 19, who cops say cleaned up his Forrest Street apartment as Quaneera Adams lay dying, had initially reported to police that the girl had tried to kill herself.

But the medical examiner ruled yesterday that her death was a homicide, and Miller was charged late last night with murder, officials said.

?In his opinion, the manner of death was in fact a homicide,? Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said.

Quaneera, a Bidwell Avenue resident, was shot at about 5 p.m. She was still alive when Miller went outside and asked someone to call 911 but she succumbed to the gunshot wound to the side of her head later that night.

An autopsy performed Wednesday was inconclusive, and the medical examiner said more police work was needed, officials said.

DeFazio said that based on information from the continuing investigation, the medical examiner ruled yesterday that Quaneera had been killed.

Both Quaneera and Miller were students at Lincoln High School.

Miller was the only person present at the time of the shooting, and he was led from his home in blood-splattered clothes by responding officers who charged him with hindering apprehension and obstructing justice, DeFazio said.

Miller was also charged with possession of a .45-caliber handgun that had its serial number removed, DeFazio said, adding that the bullet that killed Quaneera was fired from that gun.

Inside the Forrest Street home police found one spent shell in a bedroom and another in a toilet bowl, DeFazio said.

Miller suffered a grazing wound to his arm, DeFazio said, but while investigators believe he fired the shot that struck him, they don't know the circumstances.

Miller was additionally charged last night with leaving the scene of an injured helpless victim, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, DeFazio said.

?This incident clearly transpired in the context of a dating relationship which would fall within the definition of a domestic violence incident,? DeFazio said of the two Lincoln High School students.

Quaneera?s family has been adamant that she would not have killed herself. She was described as a happy and loving young woman with dreams of attending college to study business.

DeFazio said the additional information turned over by his office to the state Regional Medical Examiner?s Office in Newark included information from interviews and from the crime scene.

A state Superior Court judge added a $750,000 bail to the $100,000 bail set when Miller was first arrested, DeFazio said.

Miller has been in Hudson County jail in Kearny since he was taken into custody on Tuesday. He is to make his first appearance on the upgraded charge today in Central Judicial Processing court in Jersey City this afternoon.

Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call the Hudson County Prosecutor?s Office?s Homicide Squad at (201) 915-1345.

A teenage girl is dead, and people speculate about how the rent was paid. That's sad.

Quote:

Quote:

Apparently they couldn't afford a phone. That might put a "hole" in your little speculation/theory.

Boyfriend of dead Jersey City teen cleaned up scene before calling for help, prosecutor says

By Michaelangelo Conte
The Jersey Journal
December 16, 2009

Woodrow Miller, 19, of Forrest Avenue in Jersey City, cleaned up the scene where his girlfriend was shot last night before getting help, prosecutor says

The boyfriend of the 17-year-old Jersey City girl killed by a gunshot wound to the head last night took time to clean up the scene of the shooting before he got help for the girl who was gravely wounded but still alive at the time, officials said.

Investigators have not yet determined if the death of Quaneera Adams of Dales Avenue was a suicide or homicide, Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said.

Her boyfriend, Woodrow Miller, 19, was the only person present at the time and he has been arrested on charges connected to the shooting but he is not charged with shooting the Lincoln High student, DeFazio said this afternoon.

Miller had blood on his clothing when he was taken out of his Forrest Street home in handcuffs by officers responding to the shooting at about 5 p.m. and he has been charged with hindering apprehension and obstructing justice, DeFazio said.

He was also charged with possession of a .45 caliber handgun that had its serial number removed, DeFazio said, adding that the bullet that killed Adams was fired by the gun. Police found one spent shell in a bedroom and another in a bathroom, DeFazio said, adding that Miller suffered a grazing wound to his arm.

After Adams was shot, Miller allegedly cleaned up the scene before going outside and telling someone to dial 911, DeFazio said, adding that the exact gap in time before police were called has not been determined. Adams and Miller were last seen near Lincoln High School at about 3 p.m. yesterday, DeFazio said.

Emergency technicians were performing CPR on Adams when she was rushed from the home on a stretcher and she was later pronounced dead at the Jersey City Medical Center, officials said. Homicide investigators where called to the scene after she died, DeFazio said.

After Miller's arrest, his bail was set at $100,000 cash or bond by Hudson County Superior Court Judge Melvin Kracov and he has been transported to the Hudson County jail in Kearny.

"The investigation is ongoing and the precise manner of Adam's death has not yet been established," DeFazio said this afternoon. "We have already talked to a number of individuals, some of whom are familiar with the relationship between the two, and we want to speak to more individuals who may have knowledge of their relationship."

An autopsy on Adams is being performed at the state Regional Medical Examiners in Newark but the preliminary autopsy report is not yet available, DeFazio said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office's Homicide Squad at (201) 915-1345.

Sad stuff... but why did these High School students have a gun?

...and I wonder how they paid their rent?

========================

'She did not kill herself,' guardian says

Thursday, December 17, 2009
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Quaneera Adams' guardian said yesterday there is no way the 17-year-old girl took her own life.

"She did not kill herself," insisted Cleona Dwight, who had been Adams' guardian for 15 years.

"She was scared of guns, terrified of guns. All her friends, her cousins and everyone is really, really upset," Dwight said.

"My family right now is really going through it. The ones she grew up with are taking it real hard. She is a very good, loving child."

Dwight said that Quaneera, who died from a bullet wound to the head Tuesday night, wanted to go to college and hoped to study business. She said the high school junior was a very good dancer and model and she loved children.

"She was a lot of fun, she laughed, she was a good kid," Dwight said. "She was an OK student. I'm not going to say she was the best student."

Outside Lincoln High School yesterday, senior Stephanie Ramos described Quaneera as an "energetic person" who "always made everyone smile."

Board of Education spokeswoman Paula Christen said grief counselors were available to students at Lincoln yesterday. She said the school plans to hold a memorial for Quaneera before the Christmas break.

Lincoln junior Levelle Clinton wouldn't speculate about the circumstances of Quaneera's death.

"I don't know the truth. The only people who know the truth are her and him," she said, referring to Quaneera and Quaneera's boyfriend, Woodrow Miller, 19.

Miller was the only person present when Quaneera Adams suffered the fatal bullet wound to the head in Miller's home on Forrest Street. Miller has not been charged in her death.

Jersey City teen who suffered gunshot to head mourned; guardian rejects suicide theory

By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
December 16, 2009, 7:15PM


Quaneera Adams, a 17-year-old junior at Lincoln High School in Jersey City, died last night after suffering a gunshot wound to the head in her boyfriend's Forrest Street apartment.
While friends and family mourn a 17-year-old Jersey City girl who died last night after suffering a gunshot wound to the head in her boyfriend's apartment, her guardian insists there's no way the girl took her own life.

"She did not kill herself," Cleona Dwight said of Quaneera Adams. "She was scared of guns, terrified of guns.''

Quaneera, Dwight said, was a "very good, loving child.''

"All her friends, her cousins and everyone is really, really upset," said Dwight, who has been Quaneera's guardian for the last 15 years. "My family right now is really going through it. The ones she grew up with are taking it real hard."

Quaneera had aspirations of going to college and studying business, Dwight said. She was a very good dancer and model and she loved children.

"She was a lot of fun, she laughed, she was a good kid," Dwight said.

Outside of Lincoln High School this afternoon, senior Stephanie Ramos described Quaneera as an "energetic person" who "always made everyone smile."

Lincoln junior Levelle Clinton wouldn't speculate about the circumstances of Quaneera's death.

"I don't know the truth. The only people who know the truth are her and him," she said, referring to Quaneera and Quaneera's boyfriend, Woodrow Miller, 19.

Miller was the only person present when Quaneera suffered the fatal bullet wound to the head in his home on Forrest Street. Miller is not charged in her death although he does face weapons and other charges.

Prosecutors revealed today that while Quaneera lay dying, Miller cleaned up. He later went outside and asked someone to call for help, officials said.

Board of Education spokeswoman Paula Christen said grief counselors were available to students at Lincoln today.

The school plans to hold a memorial for Quaneera before the Christmas break, she said.

Jersey City woman dies from gunshot wound in head, officials say

By Ken Thorbourne/The Jersey Journal
December 15, 2009, 9:12PM


Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said tonight's fatal shooting on Forrest Street remains under investigation.

An 18-year-old Jersey City woman shot in the head tonight has died.

Shot inside her Forrest Street apartment, she was pronounced dead some time between 6:45 and 7:45 p.m., Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said.

Even though Jersey City police preliminarily believed the shooting to be a suicide, DeFazio said the manner of death is still under investigation.

The 18-year-old woman was shot inside an apartment she shares with her 19-year-old boyfriend.

The boyfriend was with the woman at the time of the shooting and suffered a graze wound in an arm, DeFazio said.

The boyfriend -- who was escorted out the house in handcuffs -- was taken to the Medical Center and investigators intend to interview him as soon as he's able, officials said.

No one is charged in this shooting.

The shooting took place at around 5:20 p.m.

A neighbor saw the woman being taken away by ambulance at about 5:40 p.m.

The firearm was recovered at the scene but it wasn't clear whom the weapon belonged to, DeFazio said.

The apartment where the shooting took place is in the 200 block of Forrest Street near Martin Luther King Drive.