4 Arrested in Connection to Fatal North Arlington Double Homicide Investigation

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

North Arlington NJ, Four individuals have been arrested in connection with the fatal July 19 shooting that claimed the lives of two men near the border of North Arlington and Kearny, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced.

The arrests follow a multi-agency investigation led by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under Chief Jeff Angermeyer and the North Arlington Police Department under Chief Michael Horton.

Altercation Leads to Fatal Double Shooting

On Sunday, July 19, 2026, at approximately 8:37 p.m., North Arlington police responded to reports of gunfire near Ridge Road and Belleville Turnpike.

Upon arrival, officers discovered two men suffering from gunshot wounds following an altercation between two small groups near the municipality border:

• Brian Dominick Lockett, 28, of North Arlington, NJ

• Ezequiel Aquino, 29, of Newark, NJ

First responders provided emergency aid, and both victims were transported to University Hospital in Newark, where they were later pronounced deceased.

Shooter and Accomplices Fled Scene with Young Children

Investigators identified Leibys A. Mercedes, 26, of Linden, as the alleged shooter. Following the shooting, the suspects fled the scene in two separate vehicles without rendering aid or notifying law enforcement:

1. Leibys A. Mercedes and Lydell M. Mercedes, 24, fled together in one vehicle.

2. Altray K. Brown, 33, of Irvington, and Yolanda K. Montgomery, 30, of Newark, fled in a second vehicle carrying two children under five years old—neither of whom was secured in a car seat.

Timeline of Charges and Arrests

• July 22, 2026: Officers executed a search warrant in Plainfield, NJ, arresting Altray K. Brown and Yolanda K. Montgomery. Both were charged with two counts of third-degree endangering an injured victim. Additionally, Montgomery was charged with two counts of second-degree child endangerment, and Brown was charged with two counts of third-degree child endangerment. They were released pending court action following a July 30 appearance in Bergen County Superior Court.

• July 31, 2026: East Brunswick Police arrested fugitive Lydell M. Mercedes during a routine traffic stop after discovering an active arrest warrant. He was remanded to the Bergen County Jail.

• August 3, 2026: Detectives located and apprehended the suspected shooter, Leibys A. Mercedes, in Newark. He was remanded to the Bergen County Jail.

Both Leibys A. Mercedes and Lydell M. Mercedes face two counts of first-degree murder, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun. Leibys Mercedes faces an additional charge of second-degree certain persons not to possess firearms.

Prosecutor Musella noted that charges are accusations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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