By JAMES MITCHELL
Sunday Times Newspapers
TRENTON — Police confirmed last week the cause of death in the homicide of a 65-year-old man at his condo, the city’s first murder in nearly a decade.
Police and Fire Services Director James Nardone said George Hite had been strangled to death before being discovered in his Westwood home earlier this month.
Hite’s 94-year-old mother was in the home at the time, bedridden and partially tended to by a caregiver who called police when unable to contact Hite or his mother.
Nardone said the elderly woman had been taken to an undisclosed location, was being treated and is recovering.
Hite had lived with his mother in Trenton for only about a year, Nardone said, and had spent most of his life in Lincoln Park. He had been a longtime umpire for Little League programs in Taylor and Lincoln Park, and had reportedly twice officiated at the national Little League World Series in Pennsylvania.
Police responded to the call about 9:30 a.m. March 11 and went to the home on a welfare check. The initial determination of homicide was confirmed, Nardone said, and Hite had died from ligature strangulation which included use of some form of rope or cord.
Nardone declined to discuss possible motives while the investigation continued and police followed up on numerous tips.
“It doesn’t appear to be a random act,” Nardone said, and asked that anyone with information contact Trenton police at 734-676-8377 or call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
A $2,500 reward has been offered for information that leads to an arrest.
(James Mitchell can be reached at [email protected].)