By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Monmouth County announced that an Asbury Park man has been sentenced to life in a New Jersey State prison plus an additional 46 years in connection with the killing of an Ocean County resident in 2022.
Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago stated that on Friday, August 16, 2024, Jaszhark A. Rogers, 38, was convicted at trial on charges of first-degree Murder, first-degree Felony Murder, first-degree Armed Robbery, first-degree Conspiracy to commit robbery, along with three second-degree weapons charges.
Rogers was sentenced on Friday, November 1, 2024, before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Joseph W. Oxley, Asbury Park Police said.
Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said that Rogers was sentenced to life in prison plus two consecutive 18-year sentences on the Armed Robbery and weapons charges, along with a consecutive 10-year sentence for the Certain Persons Not to Have Weapons charge.
Shortly after 12:15 a.m. on Saturday, June 18, 2022, members of the Asbury Park Police Department responded to the 1200 block of Washington Avenue and discovered the victim, Yahnie Patterson, 26, of Lakewood, lying mortally wounded in the roadway, having sustained severe head trauma, according to Monmouth County officials.
Monmouth County authorities said that Patterson was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where he eventually succumbed to his injuries on Monday, June 21, 2022.
According to Monmouth County officials, an investigation conducted by members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Bureau and the City of Asbury Park Police Department revealed Rogers, along with Shakri A. Prince, 31, also of Asbury Park, schemed to rob Patterson of cash and property after an hours-long dice game.
Rogers chased him from an alley where the dice game was played; Prince caught Patterson and struck him with a handgun in the skull, while Rogers then kicked and stomped the defenseless Patterson about the head and neck as he lay in the street, Monmouth County officials stated.
Asbury Park Police said the investigation also resulted in two other defendants, Erikah E. Handy, 24, of Neptune Township, and Tyonna N. Henderson, 34, of Asbury Park, being arrested in connection with the robbery of Patterson and aiding in the flight of Rogers and Prince from the scene.
Prince, Handy, and Henderson have already pleaded guilty. Prince pled guilty on Tuesday, October 29, to charges of first-degree Aggravated Manslaughter and second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon. Handy pled to two counts of third-degree Theft, and Henderson pled to one count of fourth-degree Tampering with Evidence. Both Handy and Henderson pled on Wednesday, October 30, Monmouth County officials said.
All three are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Oxley on Friday, January 10, 2025, officials say.