Markquice "Tank" Thomas was indicted Friday on murder and kidnapping charges for an incident 4 years ago
TRENTON - A man accused of two murders over the past four years pleaded not guilty to one of them Friday afternoon.
Markquice R. Thomas, also known as aTank,a Markquice "Tank" Thomas, 30, was indicted on murder, kidnapping, robbery and handgun charges Friday in connection with the 2012 murder of Jared Littlejohn, who was found shot to death at an apartment complex in Ewing in September, 2012. He was found with a shotgun wound to the head, authorities have said.
The indictment comes two years after Thomas was accused of committing another murder in March, 2014. In that case, Thomas was charged with shooting Joseph Gaines as Gaines sat in his car outside of a North Ward club. Gaines later died from the gunshot wound to his head and Thomas was charged with murder.
At the time, prosecutors thought it was Thomas's only murder, until 2015 when a witness came forward and accused Thomas of talking about killing Littlejohn three years before.
Witness comes forward in 2012 homicide
Police discovered phone records indicating that Thomas and Littlejohn had spoken just before his killing in 2012, prosecutors have said. They also found video surveillance of Littlejohn being abducted. Thomas was seen driving Littlejohn's Chevrolet Impala the same day of his death, prosecutors have said.
Prosecutors, defense attorney Robin Lord and Superior Court Judge Robert Billmeier discussed the three cases Thomas was involved in during his court appearance Friday. Those cases include the two murder charges and a separate drug charge.
Lord objected to Thomas's case potentially being transferred to another judge and Billmeier said he would bring her concerns to presiding judge Peter Warshaw.
Thomas's next appearance is scheduled for June.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman