Men sentenced for Neptune Township double murder

The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s office announced that two men have been sentenced for their roles in a double murder in Neptune Township.

Neptune Township double murder suspects sentenced

Gabriel J. Braithwaite, 21, of Keansburg, and Jeron D. Dearin, 24, from Cliffwood, Aberdeen, received prison sentences of 40 and 5 years, respectively.

Both men must serve 85 percent of their terms under New Jersey’s No Early Release Act (NERA) before they are eligible for parole.

Neptune Township double murder

The incident unfolded shortly before 8:15 p.m. on January 19, 2022, when Neptune Township Police responded to a report of a shooting on the 1300 block of Washington Avenue.

Upon arrival, officers found 18-year-old Samore Edwards of Plainfield and 19-year-old Isaiah Williams of New Brunswick shot inside a parked vehicle.

Edwards was pronounced dead at the scene, while Williams died shortly after arriving at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

Investigation

An extensive investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office (MCPO) Major Crimes Bureau, along with local police departments, revealed that Dearin drove his cousin, Braithwaite, to and from the crime scene, where Braithwaite fatally shot the victims.

Both suspects were arrested within a month of the shooting and have since been lodged at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI).

In a hearing in July 2023, Braithwaite pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and a related weapons offense.

Dearin admitted to second-degree conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.

Both men agreed to plea agreements with consultation from Edwards and Williams families.

Neptune Township double murder victims remembered

Several family members, wearing clothing and holding signs depicting images of their lost loved ones, read statements, each recalling gregarious young adults who were eager to begin pursuing personal goals when their lives were suddenly cut short.

Samore Edwards

“The utterly senseless and callous nature of this crime can’t be overstated – it was an ambush of two unarmed individuals sitting in a car together who had nowhere to escape to and no time to react,” Monmouth County Prosecutor Santiago said.