Woman police say hid murder suspect to be extradited

By Bob Laylo

The Morning Call

April 23, 2008

A woman charged with using a relative's home in Carbon County to harbor a reputed gang member wanted for an Atlantic City murder chose Tuesday not to fight her return to New Jersey to face charges there.

Essance A. Bell, 25, of Absecon, N.J., waived her extradition hearing in Carbon County Court and is expected to be picked up by Atlantic County authorities in a few days.

Authorities say Bell used a relative's home at 71 Mountain View Drive in Penn Forest Township to hide her boyfriend, David R. Shepherd, 23, of Mays Landing, N.J.

Shepherd is charged in the Nov. 22, 2007 killing of Stan Marshall, 26, of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Atlantic City police found Marshall outside a bar, dead from a gunshot wound to the head. They issued a warrant for Shepherd's arrest on Feb. 29, charging him with murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

In late March, Atlantic County authorities asked the U.S. Marshals Service's Regional Fugitive Task Force in New York/New Jersey to spearhead the manhunt for Shepherd. The Marshals Service went to the Penn Forest home on April 15 and took Shepherd and Bell into custody without incident.

Bell was charged in Atlantic County with one count of hindering the apprehension of another.

Shepherd, who authorities say is part of the Bloods street gang, was scheduled for an extradition hearing Tuesday. It was postponed because both he and Bell had been assigned lawyers from the Carbon County Public Defender's Office, creating a conflict of interest for the office.

Copyright © 2008 The Morning Call, All Rights Reserved.