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Passaic County prosecutors charged Edwin Betancur with murder in the Paterson shooting of Joshua Fernandez.
Daily Voice and the Paterson Times reported Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, that Betancur, 28, was arrested Saturday in the Wednesday shooting of Fernandez, 27. The charges are first-degree murder, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Prosecutors said they will ask a judge to keep him in custody. No hearing date has been set.
By Crime Talk Network Staff Writer · · Updated
Sunday's announcement is an arrest and a charging decision. It does not include a motive, a witness account, or a court date. The Paterson Times printed the statutory exposure on each count. That is the range a conviction can bring. It is not a sentence. A charge is not a conviction.
Edwin Betancur, 28, of Paterson, was charged with murder in the shooting death of Joshua Fernandez, 27, also of Paterson, Daily Voice and the Paterson Times reported Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. Daily Voice, citing Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Officer-in-Charge Patrick Murray, reported Betancur was arrested Saturday, Oct. 24, without incident. The Paterson Times reported the same Saturday arrest. Both outlets reported the charges as first-degree murder, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
Daily Voice and the Paterson Times reported police were sent to a reported shooting near Butler and Sparrow streets at about 4:58 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. While officers were on the way, they learned Fernandez had been shot in the chest and taken to St. Joseph's University Medical Center in a private vehicle, both outlets reported. He was later pronounced dead. An investigation by the prosecutor's office and Paterson police identified Betancur as the alleged shooter, the outlets reported. Neither outlet reported a motive, a weapon recovery, or anything Betancur said after the arrest.
Prosecutors plan to seek pretrial detention, Daily Voice reported. The Paterson Times reported they plan to file a motion to keep him in custody pending trial, and that a Superior Court judge will hear it at a date and time that have not been set. Daily Voice reported the murder charge carries a potential sentence of 30 years to life in prison. The Paterson Times reported the same murder range and reported each second-degree weapons count carries five to 10 years. Those are the ranges the outlets printed. They are not a sentence. Daily Voice reported the investigation is ongoing and asked anyone with information to call the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office at 1-877-370-PCPO or the Paterson Police Detective Bureau at 973-321-1120.
The murder count and the weapons counts are accusations, not findings. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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