MAYS LANDING – Two Atlantic County men were found guilty in Atlantic County Superior Court this afternoon for their roles in the 2010 shooting death of an Egg Harbor City mother of two, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain announced.
On Oct. 16, 2010 at 12:14 a.m. detectives of the Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit responded to the Harbor City Apartments on Atlantic Avenue in Egg Harbor City for a report that a resident walking to his mailbox had discovered a body behind apartment buildings J and K. Upon arrival, detectives located Deanna Downs, 29, a resident of the apartment complex, dead of a gunshot wound to the head.
A six-month investigation by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office resulted in charges against three men for Deanna Downs’ death: Dontay Matthews, now 24 years-old, of Elwood; Mario J. Adams, 31, of Hammonton; and Rafael J. Olmo, 30, of Egg Harbor City.
The State alleged that Rafael Olmo paid Mario Adams to kill Downs, and had Matthews watch Downs to contact Adams when she was alone. The State further alleged that Olmo arranged Downs’ murder because she was a witness to a 2009 shooting for which Olmo had been indicted. That case is pending court.
Today, before Superior Court Judge Kyran Connor, at the conclusion of a trial that began on January 27th, a jury brought back guilty verdicts for both men.
Rafael Olmo was found guilty on all seven (7) charges. Four were 1st degree crimes: murder, conspiracy to commit murder, procurement of murder, and murder for the purpose of escaping punishment for another offense. Three were 2nd degree crimes: two (2) counts of witness tampering employing force or threat of force, and one (1) count of conspiracy to commit witness tampering.
The murder conviction carries a sentence of life imprisonment in State Prison with a minimum of 30 years without parole. The conspiracy to commit murder conviction is punishable with a 10-20 year sentence of imprisonment. Pursuant to the No Early Release Act (NERA), 85% of the sentence must be served before being eligible for parole. The procurement of murder and murder for the purpose of escaping punishment for another offense carry life sentences without parole. The 2nd degree crimes carry potential penalties of 5-10 years imprisonment.
Mario Adams was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder—a 1st degree crime—, two (2) counts of witness tampering employing force or threat of force, and conspiracy to commit witness tampering, all 2nd degree crimes.
The conspiracy to commit murder conviction is punishable with a 10-20 year sentence of imprisonment. Pursuant to the No Early Release Act (NERA), 85% of the sentence must be served before being eligible for parole. The 2nd degree crimes carry potential penalties of 5-10 years imprisonment.
The third defendant, Dontay Matthews, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, a 1st degree crime, on Jan. 30, 2012.
The sentencing of Rafael J. Olmo and Mario J. Adams is scheduled before Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Kyran Connor on June 5, 2014. Judge Connor revoked both defendants’ bail today.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor John Maher represented the State in the matter.
Anyone with information involving serious crimes is asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-909-7800 or go to the Prosecutor’s Office Web site at http://www.acpo.org/tips.html and provide information by filling out the form anonymously on the Submit a Tip page. People can also call Crime Stoppers at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS) or visit the Crime Stoppers Website at http://www.crimestoppersatlantic.com/. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those who commit crimes in Atlantic County.
1 comments:
Life in prison is too good for these creeps. Deanna's sister pays the price every day. The hurt was devastating. Death by lethal injection suits all 3. This was a mom, who witness a shooting, then shot while her little ones left in house alone. The government really protected her. No wonder people don't speak up. RIP Deanna, didn't know you, but your sister told me enough about you that it was like I knew you forever. I will always protect your sister forever
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