On March 4, 2022, the body of 31-year-old Kelsey Steels, a male resident of the Bronx, New York, was discovered by hikers on a trail in Eagle Rock Reservation, a park that borders West Orange and Montclair, New Jersey. An investigation determined that Steels had been fatally shot. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:16 p.m.
The investigation into the homicide led authorities to two men from outside of New Jersey.
Michael Verdel, 71, of the Bronx, and Posley Sulaiman, 31, of Detroit, Michigan, were identified as the primary suspects in Steels's death. According to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, it is alleged that Verdel and Sulaiman met with Steels at Verdel's apartment in the Bronx before transporting him to the reservation in New Jersey, where he was shot and killed. While a motive for the murder has not been publicly disclosed by law enforcement, the subsequent charges suggest a robbery may have been involved.
Both Michael Verdel, who was reportedly known by the nickname 'The Rabbi,' and Posley Sulaiman were arrested and faced a slate of serious charges. These included first-degree murder, felony murder, conspiracy, and robbery. Additionally, they were both charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Verdel was apprehended in New York and extradited to New Jersey to face the charges. Sulaiman was already in custody at Rikers Island in New York on an unrelated gun charge when he was charged with his role in Steels's murder. The investigation into the death of Kelsey Steels remains ongoing, and authorities have encouraged anyone with information to come forward.
