Man, shot full of holes, was trying to buy little brother a PlayStation, cops say

HAMILTON (Mercer) — A Trenton man was bound to a chair and fatally shot full of holes by a man he met to a buy PlayStation 4 from, police said in an affidavit of probable cause.

The body of Danny A. Diaz-Delgado, 20, was found on March 24 along the Assupink Creek in Hamilton lying face down. Diaz-Delgado's hands were bound behind his back with a power cord and pink duct tape was around his mouth, according to the affidavit. It said he appeared to have been shot nine times in the front and back of his torso.

The discovery of his body and subsequent arrest of Rufus Thompson, 29, were reported over the last week, but the affidavit gives new insight into the alleged circumstances around Diaz-Delgado's grisly death.

Thompson was arrested on Saturday at a friend's house in Trenton, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri has said. Thompson is charged with murder, felony murder, robbery, kidnapping and weapons offenses. The arrest came the same day Delgado was laid to rest at the Iglesia Pentecostal Asemblea de Dios church in Trenton.

According to the affidavit, Diaz-Delgado had agreed to buy a video game system and some games from separate sellers for his brother. He left his home to complete the transactions late in the afternoon of Friday, March 23 and told his brother he would return within the hour, police said.

Investigators said Delgado had made the arrangements through Facebook messenger on one of two iPhones he used.

Using the Facebook accounts of both men, investigators were able to put together a timeline to make their case against Thompson, according to the affidavit.

Police also learned that three cash withdrawals were made from Delgado's account from the Chase Bank ATM at Roebling Market in Trenton on March 23. Security video showed Delgado made the first withdrawal at 6:02 p.m. for $240 but two additional withdrawals at 8:38 p.m. for $500 and 8:40 p.m. for $200 were made by a different man wearing a dark-colored sweatshirt or jacket, the affidavit said.

According to the affidavit, police found Delgado's car near Jemison Alley the day after his body was found not far from a home on Ardmore Avenue where he had planned to meet Thompson. Investigators also learned that Thompson had recently moved into a basement apartment at the same address. He posted pictures of $240 in $20 bills on his Facebook account after Delgado withdrew that amount, police said in the affidavit.

During a search of the basement, police found pink duct tape and a television set with its power cord cut off, the affidavit said.

The affidavit did not disclose a motive for the homicide. It also did not disclose when and where Delgado was shot or if anyone else was believed to be involved.

The prosecutor's office is asking anyone with information to contact Sgt. Gary Wasko or Detective Michael Castaldo at (609) 989-6406. Tips can also be emailed to mchtftips@mercercounty.org.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to include the correct date the body of the victim was found: March 24, 2018.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ