By: Richard L. Smith
New Jersey's Mercer County Homicide Task Force, in collaboration with the New Jersey Attorney General's Cold Case Network, has charged two suspects in the 2008 robbery and murder of Leroy Julious in Ewing Township.
The suspects, Breyon Goodman, 36, of Trenton, and Jason Howard, 41, were each charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, and robbery.
Goodman was apprehended in Trenton on April 15, 2024, by the U.S. Marshals NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force and is being held pending trial.
Howard, already incarcerated in Rhode Island for an unrelated crime, was served with the charges there.
The charges stem from a distressing incident on May 9, 2008, when Ewing Police responded to a report of an injured man.
Upon arrival, they found Leroy Julious suffering from severe head trauma and pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation initially suggested robbery as a motive, revealing Julious's wallet was missing.
The case was reopened in March 2023 after receiving new information. Subsequent re-examination of physical evidence with advanced forensic technology led to the breakthrough.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin expressed hope that the charges would bring some relief to Julious’s family, acknowledging the persistence of law enforcement over the years.
Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri highlighted the critical role of technological and investigative advances in revisiting the case.
The ongoing investigation continues as authorities seek further information from the public.
The collaborative efforts of multiple agencies, including the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability and the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office, have been pivotal in advancing this long-dormant case.