Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes announces that Samuel Rua III, 33, of Union City, was found guilty after a jury trial before the Honorable Sohail Mohammed, J.S.C.
According to authorities on Mar. 6th, following approximately one day of deliberations, the jury returned guilty verdicts on first-degree Murder, three counts third-degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, and three counts fourth-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon.
Officials said Rua III is exposed to a term of imprisonment between thirty years and life imprisonment of which years must be served before parole eligibility, and up to five years on the unlawful purpose counts, and up to eighteen months on the unlawful possession of weapons counts.
A judge ordered Rua III be remanded to the Passaic County Jail pending sentence, after Judge Mohammed revoked his bail of $1,000,000.00.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 27, 2018, before the Honorable Sohail Mohammed, J.S.C.
The State presented evidence at the trial that on April 25, 2015, Rua stabbed and killed Nadjhier Barner-Timmons after they walked together to the area of the train tracks near 26th St. and 18th Ave. in Paterson. Police later located and arrested Rua on May 9, 2015, in the area of 26th Street, between 19th Ave and Market Street in Paterson.