NORTH BRUNSWICK — In the fall of 2008, a South Brunswick man began complaining to his two best friends about his business partner. Raymond Troxell even asked people, including his two best friends, if he paid them about $3,000, would one of them kill Vincent Russo, 48, for him, according to John "J.C." Kissel, one of the friends. Kissel...
Raymond Troxell faces life with no parole for the murder of his partner in a North Brunswick deli in December 2008. He was in Middlesex County Courthouse for sentencing in the murder on Aug. 20, 2010. NORTH BRUNSWICK — In the fall of 2008, a South Brunswick man began complaining to his two best friends about his business partner.
Raymond Troxell even asked people, including his two best friends, if he paid them about $3,000, would one of them kill Vincent Russo, 48, for him, according to John "J.C." Kissel, one of the friends.
Kissel told a jury in New Brunswick today it was sometime in October or November that Russo asked their friend, Frank Marsh, if he would kill Russo, and Marsh "said yes." Kissel said it was the evening of Dec. 15, 2008 when Marsh, who drove a cab for Kissel’s Edison taxi company, came into Kissel’s office and said, "That thing with Ray and Vinny — it’s done."
Kissel said he asked Marsh, "What do you mean?" and Marsh said, "It’s a done deal." After Kissel asked again what he meant, he explained, "I did it. I killed Vinny."
Kissel was testifying in the sixth day of testimony in Marsh’s murder trial. Marsh is charged with shooting Russo to death in the back of the Mezzaluna Deli in North Brunswick. Russo and Troxell owned the deli.
Troxell was convicted in May of hiring someone to kill Russo, and sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole. He told investigators he was joking when he asked people, including Kissel and Marsh, to kill Russo, but Marsh took him seriously. Troxell said hours after the shooting, he gave Marsh $3,000 because he was afraid of him.
Kissel said he was stunned after his conversation with Marsh and went to the deli. He noticed Russo’s truck was still there, but said he didn’t go inside. He said he called Troxell, met him at a nearby Wal-Mart and told him Marsh said he killed Russo.
Russo’s body was found in the deli the next day. He was shot once in the head.
Kissel said he consulted a friend who is a police officer and then told investigators on Dec. 18, 2008 what he knew. "I didn’t know how to react," he testified. "My two best friends killed somebody."
Marsh and Troxell were arrested the next day. Troxell was tried separately from Marsh because he implicated him in the slaying.