Atlantic City man guilty in fatal casino carjack

MAYS LANDING, N.J. - April 26, 2012

Craig Arno was found guilty of murdering Martin Caballero of North Bergen after he and his ex-girlfriend Jessica Kisby cornered the victim in the parking garage of the Trump Taj Mahal in May 2010.

He was cleared of one attempted murder charge.

Kisby pleaded guilty in February to murder and agreed to testify against Arno in return for becoming eligible for parole after 30 years.

Kisby testified the pair took Caballero to a rural area about 20 minutes away where they stabbed him to death, then used his ATM card to withdraw money from a bank. Arno could get life in prison without parole.

Prosecutors told jurors that Arno and Kisby were "evil pinballs" and told them the pair spotted a gleaming white Lincoln SUV driven by Martin Caballero, 47, of North Bergen, that followed him into the parking garage of the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort and carjacked him on May 21, 2010.

They drove him to a rural area in western Atlantic County, where Arno stabbed him to death with Kisby's help and dragged his body into the bushes, the prosecutor said. He also set the SUV ablaze to try to hide their crimes and used his ATM card to withdraw money from his bank account, said James McClain, the Atlantic County first assistant prosecutor.

Arno denied any role in the carjacking or murder. He did admit he torched Caballero's vehicle after his then-girlfriend showed up late one night with it, saying she had "a problem" and needed his help in getting rid of it.

The jury deliberations were in their fifth day when the verdict was reached.

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