A surveillance photo for the first time shows the face of the woman who sold drugs to the victim before the deal became a robbery and then a shooting, police say.
Authorities in Easton and eastern New Jersey continue to search of a man -- considered armed and dangerous and charged in a March 18 shooting in the city -- and the woman he was with early that morning, police Lt. Matthew Gerould reports.
Easton police released this surveillance photo on April 4, 2016, of a woman who sold drugs to a 38-year-old city man on March 18, 2016, in the 1200 block of Ferry Street before the man she was with, Lamont Baker, shot the victim, police say. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)While information has come in every day since police released Lamont Baker's name and photo on Friday, he remains at large, Gerould said. People are asked if they know anything -- no matter how small -- about the 24-year-old former Easton resident to call the police tip line at 610-250-6635.
"We are currently searching for him," Gerould said. "We know he has associates in (Easton's) West Ward. But we believe he's hiding in the Newark area."
If anyone sees Baker, because he's considered dangerous, they should call 911 and not approach him, Gerould said.
"We believe he was still in the area after the shooting," Gerould said. "We believe he's since fled knowing law enforcement was close to identifying him."
The victim -- a 38-year-old Easton man who was buying crack cocaine from the unidentified woman -- is out of the hospital and "still recovering from very serious injury," Gerould said.
"The victim is giving limited cooperation" with the investigation, Gerould added.
Lamont Baker, 24, is being sought in a shooting March 18 in Easton's West Ward, city police report. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)The drug deal turned into a robbery and that's when Baker shot the man, police said. The victim had crack cocaine hidden in his buttocks; the drugs were found during treatment after he drove to Easton Hospital, Gerould said.
Police on Friday said the woman is likely still with Baker. If anyone knows anything about her -- or recognizes her -- they should call the detectives bureau at 610-250-6780 or the tip line, Gerould said.
The black woman is about 25 years old, between 5 feet and 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighs 125-130 pounds and has long red and black hair, police said.
Police on Monday released a surveillance photo of her.
Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.