New Jersey man Todd West accused of killing seven people across two states

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Todd West is charged with killing four in New Jersey in May and late June
West charged with killing three in Pennsylvania over July Fourth weekend
Two others, Kareem Mitchell and Robert Jourdain, charged as accomplices
Dennis Vega, Jamil Payne and Kelvin Nelson killed in New Jersey in June
West's 29-year-old cousin Michael Thompkins killed in New Jersey May 18
Pennsylvania victims were Francine Ramos,Trevor Gray and Kory Ketrow
Men face possible maximum sentence of life in prison or the death penalty

By Evan Bleier For Dailymail.com and Associated Press

Published: 12:28 EST, 9 July 2015 | Updated: 16:53 EST, 9 July 2015

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Authorities say a man killed seven people in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including his cousin, during a string of seemingly random shooting over the course of eight weeks in May, June and July.

In announcing the charges Thursday against 22-year-old Todd West of Elizabeth, New Jersey, Union County Prosecutor Grace Park called the alleged two-state killing spree 'unprecedented.'

West is charged with killing three people and wounding a fourth in Elizabeth in a matter of hours on June 25 and then heading to Pennsylvania before committing another three murders on July 5.

Todd West is charged with killing three people and wounding a fourth in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in late June

West, 22, was charged with murder in the deaths of 28-year-old Dennis Vega (left) and Kelvin Nelson (right)

Jamil Payne, 29, was another one of the victims in the June 25 shootings in New Jersey. A fourth man survived

West was charged with murder and multiple weapons offenses in connection with the June 25 shooting deaths of 28-year-old Dennis Vega, 29-year-old Jamil Payne and 32-year-old Kelvin Nelson.

West is also charged with attempted murder and weapons offenses in the June 25 shooting of 24-year-old Richard Marte.

New Jersey prosecutors also announced he was charged in the fatal May 18 shooting of his 29-year-old cousin Michael Thompkins, according to TAPinto Roselle.

Police identified West as a suspect in early July, but he 'had fled the area prior to the issuance of the warrants and was the subject of an intensive manhunt by Union County authorities'.

Francine Ramos, 32 (left), and Trevor Gray, 21 (right), were shot in Pennsylvania over July Fourth weekend

West was apprehended by authorities in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on July 6.

He is currently in custody for the murder of two individuals in Allentown, and one person in Easton, Pennsylvania, over Fourth of July weekend.

The Allentown victims were Francine Ramos, 32, and Trevor Gray, 21, and the Easton victim was 22-year-old Kory Ketrow, according to the Morning Call.

Ketrow's friend Michael Kutz was with the victim immediately prior to the shooting on July 5.

Kutz said: 'There was no reason for them to do what they did, just go down the street and decide to kill somebody.'

The Easton, Pennsylvania, victim was 22-year-old Kory Ketrow. The motive behind the killings in unclear

Two other men, 23-year-old Kareem Mitchell of Newark and 20-year-old Robert Jourdain of Easton were charged with homicide as West's accomplices.

Authorities believe Jourdain bought ammunition and Mitchell drove a SUV that was involved in the Pennsylvania killings but that West was the trigger man, NJ.com reported.

Authorities believe Robert Jourdain, 20, bought the ammo that was used in the Pennsylvania killings

West and Jourdain were taken into custody the day following the Pennsylvania killings after allegedly carrying out a string of knifepoint muggings and Mitchell turned himself in later that day.

The New Jersey prosecutor said the same .38 caliber, six-shot revolver was used in all the New Jersey shootings.

Jourdain and Mitchell were not mentioned in a release issued by Union County on Thursday.

Michael Henn, supervising assistant prosecutor for the Homicide Task Force in Union County, called the shootings 'opportunistic.'

The crimes are not believed to be gang or drug related.

'West is currently being housed in the Lehigh County Jail without bail pending further proceedings in Pennsylvania,' according to the Union County Prosecutor's Office.

'No court date has been set in Union County, and cumulative bail for all of his New Jersey charges stands at $5.5 million.'

Pennsylvania district Judge Richard Yetter told all three men during a video arraignment Wednesday they could face a possible maximum sentence of life in prison or the death penalty.

The men gave no indication why they allegedly opened fire during the arraignment.

West was released from a youth correctional facility in 2014, after serving 16 months of a three-year sentence for drug charges, resisting arrest and eluding police while operating a motor vehicle.