Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, announced today that Roberto Ubiera, 58, of Newark, was convicted on all counts in connection with the murder of Tarlok Singh, 55, of East Orange.
In the early morning hours of Aug. 16, 2018, Singh was fatally stabbed by a former employee who came to the neighborhood grocery store located on North Park Street in East Orange and attacked Singh.
At trial, the state presented evidence showing Ubiera handcuffed the victim behind his back and isolated him in an employee bathroom in the rear of the store, where he later stabbed Singh twice in the back non-fatally before cutting Mr. Singh’s throat twice with a knife and leaving him to bleed to death on the floor of the small bathroom with his hands still cuffed behind his back.
Ubiera was seen in the store by customers who came in during the crime and he attempted to pretend to be working there, but the customers recognized that something was amiss.
Officials said Ubiera fled the scene after a customer who had seen Singh there earlier returned and called out for Singh and discovered him in the bathroom as Ubiera fled.
Following a trial before the Honorable Christopher S. Romanyshyn, Judge of the Superior Court, Ubiera was found guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, robbery, felony murder, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
The weapon was a knife officials said.
“This was an absolutely brutal and senseless crime. Mr. Singh was a hard-working man very well-liked by the community he served.
Through the hard work of the investigators from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Task Force and the assistance and cooperation from members of the community, we were able to get some measure of justice for Mr. Singh.
I thank the jury for their attention and service,” said Assistant Prosecutor Adam B. Wells, who tried the case.
The victim worked at the store seven days a week and had been there for six years.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 2.
Ubiera faces life in prison.
