Man Convicted of Triple Murder

Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, announced today that an Essex County jury has convicted Jeremy Arrington, 31, of a triple murder. He was convicted of murdering a female college student as well as two children.

The two children, Ariel Little Whitehurst, a seven year-old, and her 11-year-old brother, Al-Jahon Whitehurst, were stabbed to death by the defendant. The third victim, Syasia McBurroughs, 23, an adult female, was shot to death.

Late yesterday, following a ten-day jury trial before the Honorable Ronald D. Wigler, J.S.C., Arrington was convicted of 28 counts, including the three counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, burglary, criminal restraint, unlawful possession of a handgun, unlawful possession of a knife, and possession of a handgun and a knife for an unlawful purpose.

At trial the State presented 25 witnesses, including 9 expert witnesses, and successfully argued that on the afternoon of Saturday Nov. 5, 2016 Arrington unlawfully entered the Whitehurst home located in the 100 block of Hedden Terrace in Newark while armed with a loaded firearm. The proofs revealed Arrington then tied up the individuals located inside the apartment and proceeded to torture them by stabbing them with kitchen knives. The stabbings resulted in the death of the two children. The defendant then shot and killed the adult female. The children were pronounced dead at University Hospital and the adult female was pronounced dead at the scene.

Emergency medical personnel were able to save three of the stabbed victims. The surviving victims of the stabbings included a 29-year-old female, a 13-year-old male and a 13-year-old female, who are twins. According to Deputy Chief Assistant Prosecutor Justin Edwab, who tried the case with Assistant Prosecutor Chelsea Coleman, the police were able to respond before more lives were lost as a result of young girl with autism who escaped and called for help from her phone in a closet.
“The loss of three lives and the anguish caused by this defendant is unfathomable,” said Deputy Chief Assistant Prosecutor Edwab.
Arrington subsequently fled the scene before the police were able to apprehend him. Shortly before 8 p.m., on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016 Arrington was discovered barricaded in a residence in the 200 block of Pomona Avenue and stated he had a hostage. Police discovered that the hostage allegation was false and Arrington was arrested without incident.

The attack was apparently prompted by a comment on Facebook.

“We are forever grateful to the courageous survivors and witnesses who testified as well as the investigative personnel who helped bring this defendant to justice. Hopefully this verdict will bring some form of justice to all of the families and friends affected by this defendant’s horrific actions” stated Deputy Chief Assistant Prosecutor Edwab

Sentencing is scheduled for April 8 before the Judge Wigler. Arrington faces multiple life sentences

Yesterday, following a trial before the Honorable Ronald D. Wigler, the Presiding Judge of the Criminal Division, the jury convicted Argueta of conspiracy to commit murder.
Argueta was acquitted of the more serious charge of murder.

According to Assistant Prosecutor Justin Edwab, who tried the case with Assistant Prosecutor Julianne Bollettieri, on February 15, 2004, Argueta fatally shot Gamez and injured three other people at the La Caverna Bar on Mulberry Street in Newark around 1 a.m.

Prior to the shooting, Argueta got into an argument with Gamez’s brother. Argueta then left the bar, obtained a gun and returned with two co-conspirators, Luis Del Cid and Carlos Hernandez, before shooting Gamez, Gamez’s brother, and their spouses.

Argueta, who came to the United States in 2000, fled to El Salvador, his country of origin, immediately following the homicide.

On Nov. 12, 2004, an Essex County grand jury indicted Argueta, Del Cid and Hernandez, charging them with murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, conspiracy and weapons offenses. A warrant was subsequently issued for Argueta for his failure to appear. The case remained cold against Argueta until he was located in El Salvador in 2017. In 2018, the Supreme Court of El Salvador granted extradition and Argueta was returned from El Salvador to New Jersey.

In 2005, Del Cid, a teenager who was waived up to adult court, pled guilty to conspiring with Argueta and Hernandez. In 2006, Hernandez also pled guilty to conspiracy. To date, the whereabouts of Del Cid and Hernandez are unknown.

Assistant Prosecutor Edwab said, “although this case happened over a decade ago and a number of witnesses, including the co-defendants, have either died or were unable to be located, this conviction was only possible because of those witnesses who were willing to come forward after 16 years of waiting as well as the law enforcement personnel who continued to pursue Argueta for his offenses.”

Argueta, who was approximately 21 at the time of the homicide, was out on bail for a first-degree robbery and second-degree conspiracy which he was previously arrested for in August of 2003.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 15. Argueta faces up to 20 years in New Jersey State Prison.

Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, announced today that an Essex County jury has convicted Jeffrey Holland, 30, of East Orange of triple murder for the killing of Tiniquah Rouse, 21, Ashley Jones, 23, and Jarrell Marshall, 28.

Following a trial before the Honorable Ronald D. Wigler, the presiding Essex County Criminal Division Judge, the jury deliberated for a day before convicting Holland on all 17 counts.

In addition to being convicted of the three murders, the jury also found Holland guilty of desecration of human remains, hindering, felony murder, burglary, theft, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and multiple counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

At the end of the trial, the jury was brought back to deliberate on a separate count and found Holland guilty of being a convicted felon with a weapon.

“After almost three years of waiting, the Rouse, Jones and Marshall families finally have justice for the horrific murders of Tiniquah, Ashley and Jarrell. This result could not have been accomplished without the tireless efforts of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Task Force and the witnesses who came forward,” said Assistant Prosecutor Justin Edwab, who tried the case. “With this verdict today, this defendant will no longer be a threat to society.’’

On Jan. 29, 2016, Holland went to 29 Stratford Place, Newark, the residence of Rouse, 21, with whom he had a romantic relationship, and strangled and drowned her. Holland subsequently put Rouse’s five-month old baby boy in a closet in the apartment before leaving the apartment. Law enforcement later found Rouse in her apartment bathroom deceased and mutilated. The baby boy was found unharmed.

The next day, Holland went to 336 Clinton Place, Jones’ apartment. Holland kicked in the apartment door and shot Jones and Marshall. Jones and Marshall had recently started dating. Jones and Holland previously dated but had broken up. Three children were located inside the apartment when the police arrived. The children included two children that Jones and Holland had together as well as a child of Marshall’s. They were not physically harmed.

At trial, Holland admitted killing Rouse but claimed it was an accident. He denied have anything to do with the murders of Jones and Marshall.

Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 26, 2019. He faces life in prison.

Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, announced today that the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Professional Standards Bureau is investigating a police involved shooting that resulted in the death of Allen Travers, 37, of East Orange.

The preliminary investigation indicates that yesterday, at approximately 9:40 p.m., Travers was involved in a domestic dispute. After the incident, he left his East Orange home and boarded a public bus armed with a weapon. East Orange Police Officers followed him but as they approached he pointed the gun at them.

The officers then followed the bus. Travers pointed the weapon at the female bus driver’s head and ordered her to drive through red lights. Eventually, Travers ordered the driver to stop in the area of Central Avenue and South 10th Street in Newark.

He exited the bus, pointing the gun at East Orange Police Officers.

Police officers discharged their weapons. Travers was struck. He was transported to University Hospital where he was later pronounced dead at 11:16 p.m.

Attorney General guidelines require all county Prosecutor’s Offices to respond to incidents when a law enforcement officer discharges a weapon.

The investigation is active and ongoing. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, announced today that the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Professional Standards Bureau is in the early stages of investigating a police involved shooting in Newark that resulted in the death of Paul Braswell, 29, of Newark.

“Consistent with Attorney General guidelines, it is the obligation of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office to investigate police involved shootings in the county when there is a death or serious injury,’’ said Acting Prosecutor Stephens. “That investigation is underway.’’

The preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 3:39 pm yesterday a multi-agency task force was investigating gun offenses. Braswell and the surviving suspect were the focus of that investigation. Members of the task force attempted to make a traffic stop to arrest the two.

The incident escalated when the vehicle attempted to escape. While effecting the arrest, one or more officers fired their service weapons. The surviving suspect attempted to flee the car. He was immediately taken into custody.

Braswell remained in the vehicle. For 45 minutes to an hour, law enforcement undertook efforts to get Braswell to voluntarily exit the vehicle. There was no response from Braswell. Subsequently, a robot was deployed. Using the robot, officers obtained visual evidence that Braswell was either dead or unable to respond. Based on that, they opened the car and discovered that he was dead.

The suspects were in possession of three weapons which were recovered at the scene. Ballistic tests will determine which weapon caused Braswell’s death. At this time, the surviving suspect has not been charged. He is hospitalized in stable condition.

Aside from Braswell, and the suspect in the car with him, no civilians or members of law enforcement were injured. No other information is available now. Additional information will be released as it becomes available. The investigation is active and ongoing.

Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino announced today that the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, along with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office and health care professionals will host a community meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 15, to discuss the effects of the opioid crisis in this area.

The meeting, which will be held at the Glen Ridge Congregational Church, 195 Ridgewood Avenue in Glen Ridge, starts at 6 p.m. and will run to 8 p.m.

“Those of us in law enforcement recognize that a large part of addressing this issue must include prevention. The goal of this meeting is to share with the community how the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and others in law enforcement are partnering with the health care community to provide alternatives to prosecution when it comes to the opioid crisis,’’ said Acting Prosecutor Laurino.

The community meeting in a second in a series of meetings in which the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office are engaging the community to discuss important issues. The previous community meeting, held in May, dealt with how police involved shootings are investigated by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. Two other meetings will be scheduled in the fall and winter dealing with immigration and bias crimes.

The meetings are part of Attorney General Gurbir Grewal’s 21st Century Community Policing Project, designed to promote stronger police-community relations by bringing law enforcement and the community together in all 21 counties, at least four times a year, to discuss issues of mutual concern.

In addition to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the meeting in Glen Ridge will include speakers from RWJ St. Barnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery, the Essex County Department of Health and two non-profits — Integrity House, and ADAPT (Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team).

The press and members of the public are invited to attend.

Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino announced today that John Coulouris, 19, of Hackensack entered a guilty plea yesterday before the Honorable Judge Mark J. Nelson to eight counts related to threats against Livingston High School posted on social media in 2016.

Specifically, he admitted to making two posts on Sept. 13 and 23, 2016 where he created two fictitious Facebook accounts and posted threats against Livingston High School, according to Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Giordano, who handled the case.

On Sept. 13, 2016 he made a post from a fake account in the name of his ex-girlfriend’s mother and threatened to kill everyone at Livingston High School. On the Sept. 23, 2016 he made a second fictitious account where he threatened to “murder everyone” at Livingston High School, Assistant Prosecutor Giordano said.

He also admitted to conspiring with unknown individuals as part of a so-called hacking collective to send a bomb to the house of an Essex County Judge and to impersonating his ex-girlfriend, her parents, and a Livingston police detective by making multiple posts online using their names, said Assistant Prosecutor Giordano.

He also admitted to two counts of cyber harassment and invasion of privacy for posting his ex-girlfriend’s naked photo online and one count of terroristic threats for offering money to kill his ex-girlfriend’s mother.

Under the terms of the plea agreement he is expected to be sentenced to seven years in New Jersey State Prison. Sentencing is currently scheduled for April 6, 2018. The case was handled in Hudson County because of the threats against an Essex County Judge.

“The internet is not some magical place where the law does not apply, even when suspects take measures to hide their identity. We will investigate and prosecute threats to our schools and other similar “swatting incidents” to the fullest,” said Assistant Prosecutor Giordano.

Orange Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Drugs and Gun

Newark — Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that Michael Ford, 28, of Orange was sentenced to eight years in New Jersey State Prison today by the Honorable Richard T. Sules, Judge of the Superior Court.

Ford was sentenced to eight years for unlawful possession of a weapon. He was also sentenced to 4 years for possession of cocaine and 18 months for resisting arrest. The sentences will run concurrently. He must serve four years in New Jersey State Prison before he is eligible for parole.

According to Assistant Prosecutor Casey B. Breslow, who tried the case, on April 29, Orange Police were alerted that Ford was in possession of a handgun in the vicinity of Hickory and Taylor Streets.

When they responded to the location, the officers attempted to stop Ford but he ran through several backyards and tossed a semi-automatic handgun over a fence in the 100 block of Chapman Street. When he was apprehended, Ford was in possession of 20 Ziploc backs of crack cocaine and a .380 caliber Smith and Wesson.

On Oct. 27, an Essex County jury found him guilty of 2nd degree unlawful possession of a weapon, 3rd degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance and 4th degree resisting arrest by flight.

As an adult, Ford has been arrested eight times. This is his second felony conviction as an adult.

Assistant Prosecutor Breslow said, “This case was successfully prosecuted because of the hard work of Detectives Greenfield, Mooney, Stefanelli, and Johnson.’’

Man Convicted of Illegal Possession of a Gun

Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that Braulio A. Lopez, 20, of Newark was convicted of illegal possession of a weapon following a trial before the Honorable John Gizzo, Judge of the Superior Court.

At approximately 9:50 p.m. on May 7, 2015 Lopez was observed by officers in the vicinity of Broadway and Elwood Avenues in Newark riding in a vehicle without headlights. The officers pulled the vehicle over in the 100 block of Lincoln Avenue.

Lopez, who was a passenger, appeared to be rapidly trying to conceal something, possibly a weapon. Consequently, the officer asked him to exit the car. When Lopez was asked to turn around and face the officer, a .38 special black handgun fell to the ground.

Lopez was charged with illegal possession of a weapon. On Monday, a jury convicted Lopez.

The case was tried by Assistant Prosecutor Donovan Cho and Assistant Prosecutor Caroline Olivera.

Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 30, 2017. Lopez is facing 10 years in state prison with a five-year period of parole ineligibility.