Charges dismissed against one suspect in Paterson woman's homicide

Charges were dismissed against one of the men accused in the beating death of a Paterson woman who was later found in the trunk of her car.

On Friday, Passaic County Superior Court Judge Justine Niccollai dismissed the charges filed by the state against Ali Fisher for desecration, obstruction and hindering prosecution in the death of 38-year-old cardiovascular technician Stephanie DeJesus.

DeJesus was found bludgeoned in the trunk of her Lincoln MKZ on Feb. 25 at the intersection of James Street and Ryerson Avenue in Paterson. Police were called to the scene after they received a report that a suspicious vehicle was parked near the intersection and blood was dripping from it.

According to a letter memorandum from Assistant Prosecutor Jonathan Barrera asking Niccollai to not dismiss Fisher's charges, a detective said his charges were "based on him being in the house for five minutes" and they couldn't confirm what he did inside.

Fisher's attorney, John J. McMahon, argued the testimony given by the detective about his client at the crime scene misled grand jurors to think he was in the apartment rather than the vestibule.

During Fisher's detention hearing and at the late September hearing, McMahon argued he had nothing to do with DeJesus' homicide, moving her body or covering up the crime. He said Fisher never saw DeJesus' body or any part of the crime scene and Senior Assistant Prosecutor Jorge Morales admitted that the case against Fisher was not as strong as those against the other defendants.

"A grand jury could reasonably infer that, during the time he was inside, Ali Fisher assisted with or observed his father and brother handling the victim's body as they prepared to move it to the trunk," Barrera's letter said.

McMahon argued that Fisher was only in the foyer area and did not see the crime scene.

Fisher was one of five people arrested in DeJesus' death. His brother, Justin Fisher, his parents, Clo Fisher and Ali Gibson and Justin Fisher's fiance, Joelle Martucci were all charged.

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Martucci pled guilty to hindering and tampering with evidence while Gibson's murder and conspiracy to commit murder charges were dismissed. He was instead charged with desecration, obstruction, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution as was Clo Fisher.

During her plea, Martucci called Ali Fisher's involvement in the crime "nonexistent."

Justin Fisher is charged with murder in DeJesus' killing. The motive for the killing is still unknown but it was revealed in March that the hammer used in the bludgeoning and DeJesus' cellphone were missing.

The prosecution believes Justin Fisher killed DeJesus in his Gordon Avenue apartment. Martucci said she got to the apartment she shared with Justin Fisher on Feb. 23 to find "a lot of blood" and DeJesus on the floor. Martucci said Fisher wouldn't tell her what had happened to DeJesus but proceeded to direct a cleanup and removal of the body with his relatives.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Stephanie DeJesus homicide suspect has charges dropped