Kevin
Wiggins

Camden Courier-Post - June 28, 1933

Man Slain by Robbers in Camden

By JOSEPH GIDJUNIS
Courier-Post Staff

Besides telling his children to work hard and make something of their lives, what Kevin Wiggins, 49, wanted most for his children was to leave Sycamore Street, his family said.

It's no secret that the South Camden thoroughfare, plagued by litter and several graffiti-tagged vacant properties, has problems. Wiggins knew he had to get his family out of there before something happened, his daughter, Tiarra, 22, said.

On Thursday morning, his fears came true.

While coming home from one of his late-night work shifts, Wiggins was shot in the back, around 3:10 a.m. across the street from his house after stumbling upon a home invasion, police said. As the suspects left the house in the 300 block of Sycamore Street, they saw Wiggins.

"They reacted to him being there. Clearly he was an innocent bystander. He wasn't robbed," said Camden Police Capt. Richard Minardi. "It is a tragedy. The man was coming home from work."

When his wife, Juanita, 43, heard the shot, she ran downstairs and heard her husband calling her name. He staggered across the street and collapsed on the steps in front of his home. He was taken to Cooper University Hospital here, where he died. No one in the home invasion was injured.

"He was a hard-working family man. Dedicated," said Juanita Wiggins, his wife of 17 years. "I didn't think anything like this would happen to him."

Kevin Wiggins, who had two jobs, including his own cleaning business, M.V.P. Janitorial, is the city's 29th homicide in 2008. This time last year, there were 16 homicides.

"He wanted to move us out of the neighborhood. That's what he worked for. For us to get off the street," Tiarra said. "I don't want to stay here anymore."

The police have no suspects or descriptions of any of the individuals.

"I don't care about any of that snitchin' stuff. If anybody knows anything, I hope people talk. I would talk if I knew something," said Tiarra, who attends Camden Community College and is working toward culinary school.

Juanita Wiggins, 43, sits outside her Sycamore Street home in Camden. Her husband Kevin Wiggins, 49, was murdered early Thursday morning on the corner of the block. 

Juanita Wiggins, 43, sits outside her Sycamore Street home in Camden. Her husband Kevin Wiggins, 49, was murdered early Thursday morning on the corner of the block. 

View of the northwest corner of 4th and Sycamore Streets in Camden where Kevin Wiggins, 49, was murdered.

Building at right of photo fronts on South 4th Street.