A man is in custody in Florida after being arrested and charged with killing a man during a carjacking in New Jersey last month.
According to the Polk County sheriff's office, James Lewis was arrested in Winter Haven on Tuesday while visiting family. He was being held pending extradition to New Jersey.
Lewis, 51, is charged with the murder of 59-year-old Troy Traynham of East Orange on Sept. 18. According to the Essex County prosecutor's office, Lewis shot Traynham as he helped a woman unload groceries from her car. Lewis then allegedly zip-tied the woman and drove off in the car before crashing a short time later.
Evidence linked to the East Orange investigation was recovered at the Winter Haven residence, according to the sheriff's office.
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Lewis had served 30 years in prison after being convicted in 1989 of a homicide in East Orange and was released in 2019.
The sheriff's office did not know if Lewis had retained an attorney who could comment on the charges.
