By: Richard L. Smith
Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II reported that Eduardo Rodriguez, 35, of Newark has been found guilty of the May 5, 2022, murder of Christopher G. Griffin, 36, also of Newark.
The verdict was reached after a four-day trial before the Honorable Arthur J. Batista, J.S.C., with an Essex County jury delivering the guilty verdict on June 12, after just two hours of deliberation.
County officials said Rodriguez was also found guilty of unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
The shooting, captured on video, took place in broad daylight in the 300 block of Mount Prospect Avenue at 6:52 p.m., with the victim being shot in the face and pronounced dead at the scene.
Assistant Prosecutor Timothy P. Shaughnessy, who tried the case for the State, expressed appreciation for the jury’s service and their just verdict, stating, "They followed the evidence and rendered a just verdict."
Shaughnessy also commended the detectives' thorough investigation, noting that despite all witnesses fleeing the scene immediately after the shooting, the detectives ensured Rodriguez was held accountable for the callous murder.
Prosecutor Stephens extended gratitude to the agencies involved in the investigation, including the Newark Police Department, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the detectives of the Homicide Task Force.
Rodriguez, who was on parole for a previous carjacking at the time of the murder, remains in the Essex County Correctional Facility until his sentencing by Judge Batista on August 26, 2024.
He faces a sentence ranging from 30 years to life imprisonment.