Hudson County View

Two Jersey City men sentenced to 35 years in state prison for fatal shooting of girl, 17

Two Jersey City men were sentenced to 35 years in state prison earlier today for the fatal shooting of  17-year-old Jade Saunders in 2018.

Jade Saunders. Facebook photo.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

Hudson County Superior Court Judge Angelo Servidio sentenced Alterik Ellis, 29, and Travis DeFoe, 32, both of Jersey City, to 35 years in New Jersey State Prison for the 2018 shooting death of Saunders.

At trial, Ellis and DeFoe were each convicted or murder, conspiracy to commit murder, possession of weapon for an unlawful purpose, and theft of moveable property. The verdict was delivered on Thursday, July 21st, 2022, following a seven-week trial.

The State was represented in this matter by Hudson County Assistant Prosecutors Kevin Roe and John Burke.

“No family should ever lose a child in a senseless act of gun violence. It is our hope today’s sentence provides comfort to the victim’s family as they continue to heal from this tragedy,” Roe said in a statement.

The defendants were sentenced to 35 years in State Prison for murder, 20 years for conspiracy to commit murder – both of which are subject to the No Early Release Act – seven years for possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and four years for theft of moveable property. The sentences will be served concurrently.

On Friday, October 26th, 2018, at approximately 11:35 p.m., the Jersey City Police Department received a report of shots fired in the area of 76 Brinkerhoff St.

Responding officers found an unresponsive woman, later identified as Jade Saunders, 17, of Jersey City, with an apparent gunshot wound to the upper body. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Regional Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be a gunshot wound and the manner of death to be homicide. Three other individuals were injured during the shooting.

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