On Feb. 3, members of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Cold Case Unit arrested and charged Joel Esquijarrosa, 42, of Harrison, in connection with the Aug. 24, 2007 murder of Rafael Angel Aguero Espinoza in Jersey City.
Esquijarrosa has been charged with murder, a first-degree crime; felony murder, a first-degree crime; robbery, a first-degree crime; possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, a third-degree crime; and unlawful possession of a weapon, a fourth-degree crime.
The victim, Rafael Espinoza, was found dead on Friday, Aug. 24, 2007 inside the cabin of his tractor-trailer, which was parked on Senate Place and Van Winkle Avenue in Jersey City.
The cause of death was later determined to be multiple stab wounds and the manner of death to be homicide.
The investigation revealed the homicide was committed during a robbery of the victim.
On Monday, Feb. 3, 2020, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office was contacted by the Harrison Police Department after Esquijarrosa was arrested in that jurisdiction on criminal mischief charges.
Based on an investigation conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office Cold Case Unit, Esquijarrosa was charged in the 2007 murder.
Following his arrest, Esquijarrosa was transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility in Kearny pending his first appearance and the HCPO has filed a motion for pretrial detention.
Prosecutor Esther Suarez credited the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Cold Case Unit and the Harrison Police Department for the investigation and arrest.
The above charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
