The killings put Newark's total homicide count so far this year higher than its 2014 total.
NEWARK -- Authorities are investigating two homicides in the city - including one that claimed the life of a man featured in a Sundance documentary about gang life in Newark.
At 11:58 p.m. Monday, Darel Evans, 33, of Newark, was shot in the 300 block of Clinton Place, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Newark Police Director Eugene Venable announced Tuesday. He was pronounced dead at the scene, they said.
According to authorities, Evans had appeared as "Creep" in the Sundance channel's documentary series about Newark, "Brick City." According to Sundance's website, Evans's storyline in the series focused on how he had turned his life around, going from an active gang member to a mentor for at-risk youth.
Evans, along with his fiancee and kids, also starred in the 2013 Pivot series "Jersey Strong."
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Authorities are also investigating the death of Michael A. Johnson, 28, of Newark, officials said. He died on Nov. 26 after having been shot on April 28, authorities said. Johnson had been recuperating, but returned to University Hospital, where he died, they said. His death was ruled a homicide on Dec. 2, authorities said.
The two homicides are unrelated, officials said. Motives for the killings and potential suspects have not been identified in either case, they said.
With the two murders, Newark has officially had more homicides so far this year than it did in all of 2014. The total number of killings to-date in the city this year is now 94, according to an NJ Advance Media count. In 2014, there were 93 total homicides in the city.
Anyone with information about the killings is asked to call 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.
Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.