Jose Fernando Gaona, a 67-year-old livery cab driver from Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood, was shot multiple times on Malvern Street in the early morning hours of New Year’s Eve 2023. The attack occurred at about 7:00 a.m. as Gaona was reportedly walking to a vehicle that was part of a family-owned car service; he was pronounced dead at the scene just over twenty minutes later. Authorities believe the shooting occurred during a robbery.

Family, friends, and coworkers described Gaona as hardworking and dedicated, and as an excellent husband, grandfather, and father. The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force is handling the investigation. The Essex County Sheriff’s Crime Stoppers Program announced a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest, and as of early 2024 no arrests had been made and the case remained under active investigation.

If anyone saw activity on Malvern Street that morning or has information about the robbery and shooting, please come forward to investigators.