Around 5pm on Wednesday Night (2/10), a modest group of more than a dozen people stood at LOVE Park with signs and shirts commemorating 21 year old Alex Fernandez. Fernandez, also known by his rap name “Kodaktimes,” was shot and killed in Camden, NJ on the 1700 block of South 7th Street late at night on February 4.
The scene was described as a robbery gone wrong by an eyewitness who was in the car with Alex at the time of the attack. The assailants were described as men that Alex was unfamiliar with; “they had to be no older than 20, one was Black and masked, the other was white and unmasked.” Alex was shot four times in the chest after attempting to flee the late night robbery in his vehicle.
“Alex was able to use his last few breaths to drive halfway down the block before he let go of the wheel and crashed,” the anonymous eyewitness recounts.
anonymous eyewitness
Six days after the attack, Alex’s mother, Eva Figueroa stood at LOVE Park with pictures of her slain son scattered around the southwest corner of the park. “We’re out here today to bring awareness, my son was murdered in Camden on February 4th. It was a senseless murder and we don’t know why, we don’t know who did it. We’re just trying to get people to talk,” says Figueroa. Alex’s murderers remain unknown, he leaves behind two children and a fiance.
Alex was a North Philly resident and graduate of One Bright Ray Community High School. His former teacher Carlos Aponte described him as a ”hardworking student who was excited to pursue his rap career.”
On Instagram there has been an outpouring of support and grief, calling for “JUSTICE FOR KODAKTIMES.” Friends, fans, and family remain eager to find the killer. “Alex was the sweetest soul & I genuinely believe that he left because he was too pure for this evil world,” remarked Kasjae Yasmene, a friend of Fernandez.
More than a week removed from the killing, the case is under open investigation. More than 120 people donated to a GoFundMe established by Alex’s family to pay for the cost of his funeral.
If you have any information that could help the investigation, call detective Jeremy Jankowski at 856-397-3485 or Camden County Police Detective Sean Miller at 609-706-6590. Tips also can be emailed to ccpotips@ccprosecutor.org or DM @Jpeters2100 on Twitter or Instagram.
“Momma she just told me watch the company you keep, cuz these killers they is creepin and they don’t want to see you eat,” lyrics from Kodaktimes “Envy Me.”
UPDATE – MARCH 19TH
According to Camden PD, on March 11th two men were arrested in connection to the killing of Alex Fernandez. The men arrested in connection to the killing were Anthony Shields (20) and Jony Ramos (21) of Camden, NJ were both arrested and charged with first-degree felony murder and weapons offenses, according to the Acting Camden County Prosecutor.
Alex’s mother, Eva Figueroa has told the Plain Dealer that Sheilds and Ramos have “lawyered up,” and that the case will be going to trial.
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