Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey announced today that three defendants were found guilty of all counts in the fatal stabbing a 37-year-old Perth Amboy man.
Dana Kearney, 35, of Perth Amboy was found guilty of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault in the second degree, murder in the first degree, endangering an injured victim in the third degree, hindering in the second degree and witness tampering in the third degree.
Joseph Kearney, 28, of Easton, Pennsylvania was found guilty of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault in the second degree, murder in the first degree and hindering in the second degree.
Shane Timmons, 28, also of Easton, Pennsylvania was found guilty of hindering in the second degree.
All three defendants are being held at the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center and are to be sentenced on October 30, 2017, in New Brunswick by Superior Court Judge Joseph Paone.
Dana Kearney is facing a term of 35 years to life in state prison; Joseph Kearney is facing 30 years to life, and Shane Timmons is facing 5 to 10 years in jail.
During a trial that began on July 5, 2017, Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Tzvi Dolinger and Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Jessica Ma presented evidence and testimony showing that all three defendants were at a house party that began on August 17th and continued into the early morning hours of August 18, 2013, at the William Street home where the defendant Dana Kearney lived. The victim Christopher Sharp, 37, of Perth Amboy was also present.
Dana Kearney stabbed Sharp with the assistance of his cousin Joseph Kearney who held the victim during the stabbing. All three defendants provided police with a false alibi at the direction of Dana Kearney.
Police were called to the scene of the stabbing on August 18, 2013, and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene by the Medical Examiner. An autopsy performed by the Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the victim had been fatally stabbed.
An intensive investigation was conducted by Sgt. Marcos Valera of the Perth Amboy Police Department and Sgt. Jose Rodriguez of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.