Eric Wynn, a 34-year-old Black man from Atlantic City, was on the city’s boardwalk in the early morning hours of March 18, 2023. At approximately 1:55 a.m., in the 1900 block of the boardwalk near the Johnny Rockets restaurant connected to Bally's Casino, Wynn was shot. When Atlantic City Police officers arrived, they found him suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The investigation that followed led to an exceptionally swift arrest.
Personnel at the Atlantic City Police Department’s ACHILES Surveillance Center, including a retired officer, were able to track the suspect’s movements on camera feeds. They guided patrol officers, who apprehended a man within minutes of the shooting. The suspect, Jahlil Boston, a 34-year-old from Egg Harbor City, was found in possession of a loaded semi-automatic firearm. Investigators determined that the shooting was not a random act of violence, as Boston and Eric Wynn were acquainted.
Boston was initially charged with murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and several drug offenses, including possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. At the time of the shooting, Boston was on probation for a 2021 robbery conviction. Following his arrest, prosecutors stated that Boston admitted to the killing in a recorded interview, a claim his defense attorney later disputed, suggesting he was under duress. A grand jury indicted Boston for murder in April 2023, and he was held at the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
In January 2025, Jahlil Boston pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated manslaughter as part of a plea agreement. Two months later, in March 2025, he was sentenced to 28 years in state prison. Under the terms of his sentence, which is subject to New Jersey’s No Early Release Act, Boston must serve 85 percent of his term, or nearly 24 years, before becoming eligible for parole.
