On a summer afternoon in Elizabeth, New Jersey, tragedy struck the community. Archeley F. Brizard, a 26-year-old Black / African American male, was found inside a car in the Jefferson Park area on August 4, 2021. Responding officers discovered him with multiple gunshot wounds around 12:30 p.m. Despite immediate medical attention, Brizard was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident prompted a swift response from law enforcement, with the Union County Homicide Task Force launching a full investigation with assistance from the Elizabeth Police Department and other county agencies.
The investigation into the fatal shooting led authorities to identify a suspect. Jefferson Louis, a 25-year-old from the neighboring city of Newark, was charged in October 2021 in connection with Brizard's death. Following a months-long search, Louis was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force at an apartment in Newark on February 1, 2022. He faced serious charges, including first-degree murder and two second-degree weapons offenses.
After a four-week trial, a Union County jury found Jefferson Louis, then 28, guilty of all charges on August 15, 2025. The verdict was reached after a full day of deliberations. On October 24, 2025, a judge sentenced Louis to 50 years in New Jersey State Prison. Under the terms of his sentence, he will be required to serve at least 85 percent of his term before becoming eligible for parole.
