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2 NJ teens arrested after death investigation: police

Digital Brief: December 23, 2022 (PM)
Digital Brief: December 23, 2022 (PM) 01:43

MERCER COUNTY (CBS) -- Two teens from New Jersey were arrested Friday in connection to the fatal shooting of college basketball player Phillip Urban last week.

Urban died on Dec. 17 after officers found him in a car slumped over in the driver's seat on a trail, according to a news release.

Officials say a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old were taken into custody and both were charged with murder, felony murder, robbery and weapons offenses. Both will be lodged at a youth detention center pending hearings.

In an investigation with the Mercer County Homicide Task Force and the Hopewell Township Police Department, officers went to Hopewell Valley Nature Preserve near Hopewell Township and found a white Mercedes on the trail with a man in the driver's seat.

The man later identified as Urban was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound.

According to officials, they found out during the investigation that the teens planned to rob Urban of a quarter-pound of marijuana for $800.

"It's alleged that both participated in the preparation, murder and coverup. Urban was lured to the gravel entry to the nature preserve where he was robbed of the marijuana, then shot and killed," the release states.

The Mercer County Prosecutor's Office will determine if the teens can waive adult court.

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