Co-worker Charged in Mahwah Murder

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Mahwah NJ, The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Mahwah Police Department are investigating a homicide that occurred at 26 Avenue A in Mahwah, NJ on Monday, July 12, 2021. At approximately 9:44 p.m. on July 12, the Mahwah Police Department responded to a 9-1-1 call reporting a shooting at 26 Avenue A. Responding officers found the victim, 56-year-old Phu Tsewang, deceased from multiple gunshot wounds.

A co-worker of the victim’s, 23-year-old Milan Ghimire, was identified as the suspect. He was located in the Bronx, NY and apprehended by the New York Police Department Emergency Services Unit.

An investigation is being conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Jason Love and the Mahwah Police Department under the direction of Chief Stephen Jaffe.

Later on Tuesday, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of MILAN GHIMIRE (DOB: 2/05/1998; single; gas station employee) of 26 Avenue A, Mahwah, New Jersey on charges of murder, unlawful weapon possession and tampering with evidence. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Jason Love, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office under the direction of Sheriff Anthony Cureton, and Mahwah Police Department under the direction of Chief Stephen Jaffe.

On Monday, July 12, 2021 at approximately 9:44 p.m., the Mahwah Police Department responded to a 9-1-1 call reporting a shooting at 26 Avenue A. Responding officers found the victim, 56-year-old Phu Tsewang, deceased from multiple gunshot wounds.

A co-worker of the victim, MILAN GHIMIRE, was identified as the suspect. He was located in the Bronx, NY and apprehended by the New York Police Department Emergency Services Unit. An investigation conducted by detectives from the Mahwah Police Department and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit revealed that MILAN GHIMIRE shot and killed Phu Tsewang.

On Tuesday, July 13, 2021, MILAN GHIMIRE was arrested and charged with one count of first-degree murder, N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3a(1); one count of second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4a(1); one count of second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b(1), and one count of fourth-degree tampering with evidence, N.J.S.A. 2C:28-6(a)(1). He is being held by New York authorities pending extradition.

Prosecutor Musella states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and he would like to thank the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, the Mahwah Police Department and New York Police Department for their assistance in this investigation.