MAYS LANDING – Three men were indicted last week, and arraigned today for the shooting death in Atlantic City of a Mays Landing man in December of 2015, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Diane Ruberton announced.
In response to a 9-1-1 call, Atlantic City Police and emergency medical personnel responded on Monday, December 21, 2015 at 10:45 p.m. to the Baymont Inn & Suites Atlantic City Madison Hotel on the 100 block of Martin Luther King Boulevard, for a report of a man found injured. Upon arrival, police found Devonte Molley, 23, of Grant Avenue, Mays Landing, NJ, bleeding from an injury to his abdomen.
Emergency medical responders transported Molley to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center—City Division Trauma Unit, where he was later pronounced dead.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit responded to the scene.
Devonte Molley’s next-of-kin were notified.
An autopsy performed by the New Jersey State Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be a gunshot wound to the abdomen, and the manner of death: homicide.
An intensive weeklong investigation by the Atlantic County Major Crimes Unit and the Atlantic City Police Department, with assistance from the Absecon Police Department and the Egg Harbor Township Police Department, resulted in the arrests of two men in December 2015, charged with the murder.
On December 23, 2015, members of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Major Crimes Unit and the Absecon Police Department arrested Maurice Burgess, Male, 24, of Sussex Place, Galloway Township, NJ. The arrest was made in Absecon without incident.
Burgess was charged with felony murder and robbery—crimes of the 1st degree, and conspiracy to commit robbery—a crime of the 2nd degree.
Burgess was brought before Atlantic County Superior Judge Michael J. Blee late that same afternoon for a first court appearance, and was subsequently lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility on $1,000,000 full cash bail—no 10%, set by Judge Blee.
On December 28, 2015, members of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Egg Harbor Township Police Department arrested Charles D. Wynn, Male., 25, of Patriot’s Walk, Egg Harbor Township, NJ. The arrest was made in Egg Harbor Township without incident.
Wynn was charged with felony murder and robbery—crimes of the 1st degree, and conspiracy to commit robbery—a crime of the 2nd degree, and was lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility last night on $1,000,000 full cash bail—no 10%, set by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Bernard DeLury.
On Tuesday, July 26, 2016, an Atlantic County Grand Jury indicted Burgess, Wynn, and a 3rd man, Sterling C. Spence, Male, 23, of the 2100 block of North Main Street, Pleasantville, NJ—who was charged on a direct indictment—on 5 criminal counts in connection with the murder of Devonte Molley:
- Felony Murder—a crime of the 1st degree,
- Robbery with a Deadly Weapon—a 1st degree crime,
- Conspiracy to Commit Robbery—1st degree,
- Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (handgun)—2nd degree, and
- Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purpose (firearm)—2nd degree.
The Grand Jury indicted Burgess and Spence on a 6th criminal count:
- Possession of a Weapon (handgun) by a convicted felon—a 2nd degree crime.
This morning, Monday, August 8, 2016, Burgess, Wynn, and Spence were brought before Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Donna M. Taylor, who arraigned them on the charges. Spence had been in custody in the Atlantic County Justice Facility at the time of the indictment on an unrelated matter, and is now held on an additional full cash detainer for the new charges.
A conviction for felony murder carries a potential sentence of incarceration in New Jersey State Prison for a period of 10-30 years. The potential prison penalty for conviction on the other 1st degree charges are 10-20 years in prison, and the potential penalty for a 2nd degree conviction is up 5-10 years of imprisonment.
Assistant Prosecutor Rick McKelvey represents the State in the matter.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 609-909-7666. Witnesses may also contact the Atlantic City Police Department Investigations Division at (609)-347-5766.
These charges are merely an accusation and not proof of guilt. In all criminal cases a charged defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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.
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