Two brothers were accused of killing a young woman aged 24 in her home in New Jersey, one day after a fight over a $100 dollar debt, according to court documents.
Travis Leiby, aged 60 and his sister Brittany Murdza (32) were detained after being accused of shooting dead Starquasia Harris (24) during a home invasion in Trenton on the night of 29 January 2020, according to NJ.com.
Leiby and Murdza allegedly They attacked a day after an unidentified relative of theirs fought with the young woman for $100 dollars. The origin of the debt is not clear. The brothers had been visiting their relative’s house when they found out about the fight.
Witnesses claimed to have seen the two leave their relative’s house and return shortly after. A man matching Leiby’s description was seen entering Harris’ residence on Elm Street and firing a gun, documents show.
Leiby and Murdza claimed they were on the street just before of the murder, but that they had left before the shots were heard. Murdza is also known by her married name, Brittany Olmeda.
The defendants describe themselves as non-biological siblings, as Murdza’s mother and Leiby’s father had a relationship long-term. They were arrested in July of 2020 and prosecuted for murder, robbery and possession of firearms, a year later.
Both are originally from Trenton, but were living in Philadelphia at the time of Harris’s death. The two are currently in custody in jails awaiting appearances in Mercer County Superior Court.
The Mercer County Attorney’s Office did not release news of their arrests due to the closure of places of work and the state court system at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.