3 convicted of murder in shooting of NJ man at youth football practice
Nov 01, 2024
Three New Jersey men have been found guilty of murder and related charges in the shooting of a 37-year-old man outside a middle school in South Jersey just over six years ago, prosecutors said Thursday.
A jury in Cumberland County deliberated for just under two hours to convict Eugene Cosby, 48, of Malaga, Will El-Bey, 28, of Vineland, and Clifton Bailey, 33, of Camden, for their roles in the fatal shooting of Joseph Jones, the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office said in a news release.
The shooting took place in Millville, some 35 miles east of Atlantic City, on Aug. 9, 2018, just after 8 pm
A masked gunman shot the victim ten times in the parking lot of Lakeside Middle School after the conclusion of a youth football practice, according to prosecutors.
Jones, described by local media as a father and a former youth football coach , was rushed to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae said in 2018 the incident was “particularly unsettling because it was committed in broad daylight at a football practice field in front of numerous children.”
A multi-agency investigation later concluded that Cosby and Bailey disposed of the vehicles used in the crime. Cosby and El-Bey were also accused of conspiring with others to provide false statements to authorities.
They were arrested in late 2018 along with three other co-defendants, who have pleaded guilty for their roles in attempting to thwart the investigation.
All three men have been convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, obstructing administration of law and other crimes.
Prosecutors have not specified which of the three defendants was the masked gunman.
Cosby, Bailey and El-Bey are facing a maximum sentence of life in prison and will be ineligible for parole until they serve at least 85% of their sentence, under the state’s No Early Release Act, or NERA.
They are due back in court for a sentencing hearing on Jan. 10.