Fourth Man Charged In Thanksgiving Eve Murder
Prosecutor's Office: Sanders, 33, Faces 30 Years To Life For Murder
Vernon L. Sanders, 33, of Brick is the fourth person charged in a Thanksgiving Eve shooting death of Denzel Morgan-Hicks, 27, of Barnegat, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni announced via social media Thursday.
Sanders is charged with first degree conspiracy, first degree murder, second degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, second degree unlawful possession of a weapon and second degree crime of being a certain persons not to possess weapons.
Sanders joins Steven Taylor, 36; Michael Taylor, 33; and Avery Hopes, 23; all of Asbury Park, in facing charges in the shooting death of Morgan-Hicks.
The fatal 2017 Thanksgiving Eve shooting occured along the 100 block of Prospect Avenue.
Morgan-Hicks had returned to his hometown from Barnegat to visit a friend at the Frederick Douglass Apartment Complex, Gramiccioni said during a June 13 press conference. After the visit, Morgan-Hicks was getting into his Ford Expedition when a handful of people shot and killed him.
The Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Bureau worked in conjunction with the Asbury Park and Neptune Township Police departments, he said.
If convicted, Sanders faces a minimum sentence of 30 years to life for the murder charge; up to 20 years for conspiracy; and up to 10 years for possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose and being a certain person not to possess weapons.
The case is assigned to Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Bogner, of the Office’s Major Crimes Bureau, Asbury Park Satellite Office.
The investigation is being led by Det Patrick Petruzziello of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and Det Joe Leon of the Asbury Park Police Department.
Anyone with additional information about this shooting is urged to call Detective Petruzziello at 1-800-533-7443 or Detective Leon at 732-774-1300.
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