Elizabeth Man Sentenced For 2023 Shooting Death Of Man

Thursday, June 12, 2025, 8:00 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

ELIZABETH, NJ.- A 23-year-old Elizabeth, New Jersey, man learned he would be spending over the next two decades in New Jersey State Prison after being sentenced last Friday for his role in the 2023 shooting death of a man in the City of Elizabeth, New Jersey.

     According to Union County Prosecutor William A Daniel, on Friday, June 6, 2025, Joel Argueta, 23, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, appeared in Union County Superior Court and was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Antony Parenti to 23 years in State Prison after pleading guilty to Aggravated Manslaughter. 

     In handing down the sentence on Friday, Judge Parenti ordered the sentence to be subject to the No Early Release Act, which will require Argueta to serve 85% of his custodial term before becoming eligible for parole.

Guilty Plea Stem From Fatal Shooting Investigation

     The guilty plea and sentence stem from an incident that unfolded on June 3, 2023, when, shortly after 9:30 p.m., members of the Elizabeth Police Department responded to a report of a man lying on the ground near the intersection of Spring Street and 3rd Avenue in the City of Elizabeth.

     Upon arrival, Police Officers located a man, later identified as David Guevara, on the ground, having succumbed to fatal gunshot wounds to his head. Mr. Guevara was pronounced deceased at the scene.

     “I hope this sentence can provide some assurance to the victim and his family, as well as the community, that we will tolerate these egregious offenses and will expend all of our efforts to bring offenders to justice,” expressed Prosecutor Daniel. “I want to commend Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Cho, Detective Melvin Rogers, and Elizabeth Police Detective Neptune Ambroise and Veronica Garcia on their hard work on this case disposition.”