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6 Held In Fatal Kidnapping Of Woman From Atlantic City

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBS/AP) -- Authorities have arrested six people in the fatal kidnapping of a young woman from a house in Atlantic City in March.

A team of more than 50 law enforcement officers made the arrests early Tuesday morning in connection with the death of 20-year-old Nadirah Ruffin.

She was taken at gunpoint by robbers, and remained missing until her body was found in the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia five weeks later.

Shamerria Smith, 24, Aziz Sanders, 18, and Deshawn Hicks, 19, were charged with kidnapping resulting in the victim's death, robbery and weapons offenses.

Two other men were arrested and charged with tampering with a potential witness in connection with the investigation. Henry Ruffin, 40, of Williamstown, and Ronnie Ruffin, 42, of Lindenwold, neither of whom are related to Nadirah Ruffin, are accused of using physical force and threats of physical force to prevent a witness from providing information to the FBI and other investigating officers. Ronnie Ruffin is defendant Shamerria Smith's father, while Henry Ruffin is Ronnie's brother.

Isiah Ruffin, also no relation to Nadirah Ruffin, 20, of Atlantic City, was arrested and charged with giving false information to FBI special agents who were investigating the disappearance and death of Nadirah Ruffin.

Nadirah Ruffin had been shot to death, but no state-level homicide charges have been filed in her case.

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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