By: Richard L. Smith
A Newark man has been convicted of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of 45-year-old Keni Johnson, also of Newark, prosecutors announced.
An Essex County jury found William Whitfield, 46, guilty of the 2023 killing, along with related weapons charges.
The verdict, delivered after three days of jury deliberation, followed a two-week trial presided over by Superior Court Judge Arthur Batista.
Assistant Prosecutor Julianne Bollettieri, who handled the case, outlined the events that led to the tragic killing at the Bradley Court Housing Complex.
According to the prosecution, on February 11, 2023, an argument erupted between Whitfield and Johnson inside the complex.
Whitfield subsequently went to his apartment, retrieved a gun, and returned to confront Johnson. He shot Johnson in the back of the neck, causing fatal injuries.
"With this verdict, justice has been served," Assistant Prosecutor Bollettieri said. "I hope this brings some measure of peace and closure to the Johnson family."
Bollettieri also praised the efforts of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office
Homicide Task Force and investigators from the Newark Police Department, who played critical roles in securing the conviction.
Whitfield is scheduled to be sentenced on January 24, 2025, before Judge Batista.
He faces a prison term of 30 years to life under the No Early Release Act, which mandates serving 85 percent of the sentence before parole eligibility.