Ocean County officials said Mr. Jahvontae Debose, 24, of Lakewood, was charged with Murder relative to the shooting death of Mr. Dajour Randolph during the evening hours of February 21.
According to a statement released by Ocean County officials, at approximately 7:40 p.m., Lakewood Township Police were summoned to the area of Tudor Court in response to a 911 call regarding a male who had collapsed in the middle of the road.
Responding Officers found Dajour Randolph, 20, of Little Egg Harbor, with an apparent gunshot wound to the chest.
Police said Mr. Randolph was transported to Monmouth Medical Center, Southern Campus, in Lakewood, where he subsequently succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased.
According to police, on February 22, 2021, the Ocean County Medical Examiner performed a post-mortem examination of Mr. Randolph’s body.
The Medical Examiner determined the cause of Mr. Randolph’s death to be multiple gunshot wounds and ruled the manner of death to be homicide.
Police say Debose was charged on February 23, 2021, with Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5a(1); Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2 and N.J.S.A.2C:35-5b(11); Possession of more than Fifty Grams of Marijuana in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10a(3); Possession of a Firearm in the Course of Committing a Drug Offense in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4.1a; Being a Certain Person not to Possess a Weapon in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-7b(1); and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C: 39-4a(1).
Authorities said Debose was taken into custody without incident by Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force in Pleasantville, New Jersey, following a motor vehicle stop on February 23, 2021.
He was transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he remains lodged pending a detention hearing.
Authorities said a thorough and extensive investigation between February 21, 2021, and February 25, 2021, revealed that Debose was, in fact, the individual responsible for Mr. Randolph’s death. Dubose was served today in the Ocean County Jail with the complaint charging him with Mr. Randolph’s murder.
Anyone in possession of additional information concerning this investigation is urged to contact Detective Brant Uricks of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-929-2027, or Detective Eric Cicerello, the Lakewood Township Police Department at 732-363-0200.
“Law enforcement officers at the local, county, state, and federal levels demonstrated outstanding teamwork in connection with this very deliberative and comprehensive investigation. I am extremely grateful for their hard work and perseverance in expeditiously solving this horrendous and senseless crime,” Prosecutor Billhimer stated.