I know that there’s a lot of senseless tragedy occurring on a daily basis in the metro area, but there’s something about the murder that took place in the early hours of Oct. 27 that really got to me.
Maybe it was the fact that occurred it in such a close proximity to my home, on a road that I regularly use as an artery to Hoboken from Jersey City Heights. Maybe it was the fact that the victim was a member of the bar and restaurant community and I have a tenuous connection to him as a bartender and a direct relationship with many of his co-workers. Or perhaps it was the brutal and nonsensical circumstances surrounding his death that made me stop and wonder just how the hell something like this could happen in my "jurisdiction."
Anyway–here are the facts as I know them…
The victim worked in the kitchen at The Mile Square (222 Washington St., Hoboken). And based on every account that I have heard, he was a guy who had no problem with anyone – he just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. I’ve heard rumors that it was a robbery gone badly or a drug deal gone badly, but the fact of the matter is that this poor kid just got killed. AND WHY??? Because he happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
I’m not crying for more police presence. I’m not blaming the mayor for whatever happens on the back roads and disputable pathways between municipalities. And while I agree with Howard Engelhart’s "Letter to the Editor" about the lacking coverage in the local media, I don’t think anything could have been done to save that boy’s life. The tragic set of events was well underway before the victim even left his place of employment. I said it before and I’ll say it again – he happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Since the murder I’ve heard many a passive dismissal of the situation. Some Mexican kid was killed, some Puerto Rican kid was killed or some Guatemalan kid was killed. The fact is that yes, some Mexican kid was killed. And it wasn’t necessarily a botched robbery, and it wasn’t a drug deal gone badly – he was just walking home from work and he was murdered. And he wasn’t just some Mexican – his name was Jose Pacheco. He has a family who loves him and friends who miss him. He died because he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and anybody who says otherwise can answer directly to me.
There’s no need to belittle the 20-year-old’s death with hearsay and gossip. The fact is he was murdered. The perpetrators took none of his money, left all of his jewelry – the only thing they did take was his life.
In the wake of this nastiness, let me tell you all how it stands. The alleged assailant – a 15-year old Hoboken kid – has been picked up for the murder. Whoever is found guilty of this heinous crime, I can’t think of any punishment that fits the unprovoked taking of a life. But whoever is found guilty can rest assured that the fate meeting them in a court of law is better than that which would be faced in the court of my individual wrath. I’m sickened by the whole incident, and I know I’m not alone in my ire.
What bothers me the most is that our town is a fantastic place. Crime is at a minimum for such a congested area – the fact that any of us can get along in such a choked metropolis is a miracle in itself. On the whole, Hudson County is a well-oiled machine, but it’s our vigilance that keeps it so. I’m not suggesting flaming torches and baseball bats, but I am saying that we have to keep an eye on what happens on our own turf so that the lowlifes that perpetrated this particular crime can never, ever pull something like this off again.
In the name of Jose Pacecho may we please look out for one another so that with the memory of Jose Pacheco we may live in peace. And whoever did this to Jose, may God have mercy – because I assure you the public won’t.
(The Mile Square is accepting donations on behalf of Jose Pacecho’s family in order to assist with funeral expenses. For more information, please contact The Mile Square at 201-420-0222, 221 Washington St.)
If you know how I can effectively waste $50 in the metro area, please write to:
"Hal Wastes His Wages"
c/o The Hudson Current
1400 Washington Street
Hoboken, New Jersey 07030
Or via e-mail:
Current@hudsonreporter.com