Updated: Murder, Death by Suicide in Lower Makefield

A Trenton, New Jersey man turned himself into authorities for the alleged murder of his girlfriend and leaving her lifeless body to be discovered by Lower Makefield Township Police on East Ferry Road and the Delaware Canal Sunday evening.

Lamont Truitt 36 of Trenton is charged with first degree murder,first degree attempted murder, first degree carjacking, and array of weapons related charges, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s office announced Monday afternoon.  .

According to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s office on Sunday, November 16, 2025, at approximately 5:51 a.m., the Trenton Police Department received a ShotSpotter notification for multiple rounds in the area of Oakland Street in the city.Trenton Communications also began receiving calls for a female shot in the leg. Responding Trenton Police officers were led to the 200 block of Coolidge Avenue where they found a 25-year-old woman suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg. She was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center. During this time, another call was received by police reporting a female had been shot multiple times by a man who fled in a silver, four-door vehicle. The Mercer County Homicide Task Force (MCHTF) was notified and responded. With a second shooting victim unable to be located, lead Detective Luis Vega, the MCHTF and the Trento Police utilized various investigative methods and law enforcement intelligence to piece together what had occurred.

Detectives discovered the victim, 32-year-old Alyssia Murphy of Trenton, was in silver Toyota Camry parked on Coolidge Avenue with a friend when Murphy’s boyfriend, identified as Truitt, approached the vehicle and began arguing with Murphy. He then pulled a handgun and fired multiple times. The 25-year-old woman was able to exit the vehicle. Truitt then entered the Camry and fled the area.

Subsequently, about two hours later, Lower Makefield Township Police located the deceased victim inside of a silver Toyota Camry in Pennsylvania in the area of East Ferry Road and the Delaware Canal, according to Mercer County authorities.

Prosecutor Janetta Marbrey thanked the Lower Makefield Township Police Department and the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office for their instrumental assistance in the investigation.

The investigation is ongoing New Jersey authorities said and Truitt will remain in custody pending trial, Mercer County authorities said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact MCHTF Detective Luis Vega at (609) 989-6406. Tips can also be submitted anonymously online at this link

A 41-year-old Trenton, NJ woman betrayed a family member when she allegedly pretended to be her sister, a Lower Makefield Township resident, to illegally purchase a vehicle in Bloomfield, NJ, authorities say.

On August 13 2025 at 10:47 a.m. Lower Makefield Township Police (LMTPD) were dispatched for a complainant about alleged identity theft.

Police contacted the victim via phone. The female victim stated that she was notified on August 12 2025 by LifeLock that her identity was being used for an auto loan credit application at Lynnes Subaru, police said.

Police contacted the dealership and spoke with two witnesses.

One witness told police that the Bloomfield Police Department was notified and took the suspect into custody. Bloomfield Police identified the accused as Joyce Himala to LMT Police. The other witness said, in a witness statement, that the Himala verbally identified herself as “Mary” and applied for an auto loan in order to purchase a 2020 BMW X5 Competition. A copy of the Himala loan application displayed the victim’s name and social security number, police wrote in the probable cause.

LMT police obtained video surveillance from Lynnes Subaru and conducted a suspect ID to the victim. The defendant, Himala, was identified by the victim as her sister, officials said.

Himala was charged with two felonies – identity theft and forgery. She was arraigned on October 1 2025 by Judge Corryn L. Kronnagel and released on unsecured bail of $10,000.

Himala’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 21 2025. She currently has no attorney on record, according to online court records.

Lower Makefield Township Police along with the Bucks County District Attorney’s office launched an investigation into allegations Pennsbury School District bus/van aides did not follow proper protocols and procedures in attempting to awaken a five-year-old child with an extremely limited ability to communicate his needs and wants, and was physically put into restraints even though that is not part of his IEP plan.

The allegations also include that the child with autism was assailed by at least one of the two aides working on the Pennsbury School bus/van.

An employee of the district reported the incident to Edgewood Elementary School officials after the incident took place last Wednesday at 9:05 a.m., multiple sources told Lower Bucks Source.

Parents were not informed of the incident until Thursday morning, according to tipsters. Several revisions to the actual incident were made after they were informed in dribs and drabs. One specific piece of information and now evidence in the police investigation is the on-board bus/van video surveillance. In the alleged incident, the child’s parents were told that the video system was recording when aides attempted to wake him up and the boy refused to follow their directions to exit the van.

Lower Makefield Township detectives were notified on Thursday of an allegation that staff members used an unauthorized technique to move an autistic child from a bus Wednesday morning at Edgewood School. An investigation was opened and is currently in progress in consultation with the Bucks County DA’s office, Chief of Police Joe Kelly said through a township spokesperson.

Credit: Sunshine Foundation

The child at the center of the incident, sources said, does not have a history of aggressive behavior of any kind. Considering the “severe” impact of his health challenges, he is described as a cheerful “little guy” whose bonds to his father and godfather sustain him despite life circumstances.

The little boy’s family has decided not to send him back to his elementary school classes for the time being due to overwhelming circumstances. They have instead chosen to enroll him all day at the nursery school he’s already attending.

Credit: Joanne Ames – LBS

“We just want what is best for ******. To protect him and his interests. This whole thing has thrown us for a loop. And every day were finding more details about what actually happened, and it’s frustrating,” the child’s father said.

Legal counsel has been hired by the family to represent the boy and their interests, because there was delayed communication, a lack of transparency and other investigative information by the elementary school to the school district and it is difficult to trust what officials tell them.

Lower Bucks Source contacted Pennsbury School District, Edgewood Elementary and School Board officials over the weekend. Jennifer Neill, Supervisor of Public Relations for the school district, responded: The District does not discuss individual student matters. We are committed to the well-being of our students and promptly and thoroughly address any reports we receive related to individual students. Any matters are handled transparently in accordance with District policy and the law.

The Bucks District Attorney’s office declined to comment on the investigation Monday.