Trenton Resident Arrested for Homicide at Woodrow Wilson Service Area, Hamilton Township

Man Arrested for Murder Following Violent Incident at New Jersey Turnpike Service Area

Hamilton Township, NJ (Mercer) – In a shocking turn of events, the New Jersey State Police have apprehended Dandre L. McDaniels Jr., a 23-year-old resident of Trenton, N.J., on charges of murder and several other offenses. McDaniels Jr. stands accused of brutally killing a woman within the premises of a New Jersey Turnpike Service Area employee parking lot located in Hamilton Township, Mercer County.

The incident, which took place on Thursday, August 17, 2023, at approximately 3:10 a.m., prompted the swift response of troopers from Troop “D” Moorestown Station, following a distress call reporting an injured female found on the ground within the Woodrow Wilson Service Area employee parking lot. The victim was identified as 22-year-old Jamyra C. Odom, also from Trenton, N.J. Unfortunately, she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Through meticulous investigative work, the highly skilled detectives from both the Major Crime South Unit and Troop “D” Criminal Investigation Office managed to establish a comprehensive timeline of events. Additionally, they identified a white sport utility vehicle (SUV) as a possible suspect vehicle. Actively pursuing this lead, law enforcement located a white SUV parked adjacent to the Capital Health Systems Fuld Campus in Trenton, N.J. Moreover, authorities discovered McDaniels Jr. within the emergency room, where he was receiving treatment for lacerations on his hands inflicted by unknown means. It is important to mention that McDaniels Jr. was accompanied by both State Police detectives and Trenton Police during the apprehension.

According to sources close to the investigation, it is alleged that McDaniels Jr. arrived at the Woodrow Wilson Service Area employee parking lot in the aforementioned white SUV. Following the victim’s departure from her workplace, Burger King, where she was fulfilling her scheduled shift, McDaniels Jr. proceeded to assail her with multiple stab wounds. Shockingly, he proceeded to strike her with the vehicle as he attempted to flee the scene. It has also come to light that McDaniels Jr. and Odom were acquainted prior to the deadly confrontation.

Subsequently, Dandre L. McDaniels Jr. was formally charged with an array of offenses, including murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes. The accused is currently confined at the Mercer County Correctional Center while awaiting trial. The prosecution of this heinous crime will be handled by the distinguished attorneys from the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office. It is essential to underscore that any charges brought against an individual should be considered mere allegations until proven guilty by a court of law.

Dandre L. McDaniels Jr., a 23-year-old resident of Trenton, currently in custody. (File photo)