An Atlantic City man has been identified as Pleasantville's latest homicide victim, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon Tyner announced Saturday.
Raphael Terrigino, 30, was found dead inside his car on Stenton Place after Pleasantville police were called at about 7:45 a.m. Friday.
The cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head, according to the autopsy.
Terrigino leaves behind a 2-year-old daughter who he doted on.
"He did what he had to do for our daughter and even myself and family," said Jasmine Batson, the girl's mother.
Terrigino always had plans to become a millionaire she said.
He was preparing to buy a house.
"He loved life," Batson said.
Their daughter is so young, that Batson hasn't really had to explain too much, she said.
"I'll talk bout him to her anytime she asks," she said "For now, I'm trying to be there for her and keep her happy."
Terrigino's father started a GoFundMe page.
"On the 2nd, I got the worst visit of my life," Bill Terrigino writes. "A detective knocked at my door and informed me my youngest son was killed ."
He is asking for help in giving his son "the service he deserves."
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This is the second homicide in Pleasantville in just more than a week. The city had just two homicides in all of 2017.
Police Chief Sean Riggin addressed the "sudden and significant increase in violent crime after a relatively peaceful 2017."
Much of the spike is possibly linked to gang activity, although Riggin told BreakingAC it is too soon to say if that played a part in Terrigino's killing.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit at 609-909-7666 or Pleasantville police at 609-641-6100.
UPDATE:
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