On New Year's Day in 2019, tragedy struck in Atlantic City when 21-year-old Lamir King was found fatally shot inside his car. The incident occurred around 6:25 p.m. in the area of North Ohio Avenue, where police, responding to a report of a car crash, discovered King unconscious. Despite efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy later confirmed that the young man, known to his friends as Sav, died from multiple gunshot wounds, and his death was ruled a homicide.
He would have celebrated his 22nd birthday the following week.
The investigation into the shooting led by the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit spanned several months. A significant breakthrough came with the analysis of surveillance footage, which captured a man approaching King's parked car, firing a gun, and then limping away. This evidence, which matched the gait of a particular individual in other videos, was crucial in identifying a suspect. The diligent work of law enforcement culminated in the arrest of 53-year-old Jamie Sewell of Atlantic City in June 2019.
Further investigation revealed a deeper conspiracy behind the killing. In a significant development, former Atlantic City basketball standout Khalif Toombs, who was already incarcerated on federal drug-trafficking charges, was implicated in the murder. Authorities charged the then 32-year-old with hiring Sewell to carry out the killing of Lamir King. Both men ultimately took responsibility for their roles in the crime. Jamie Sewell pleaded guilty for his part in the shooting, facing a prison sentence of 10 to 20 years. Khalif Toombs also pleaded guilty to first-degree conspiracy to commit murder. In his plea, Toombs admitted to paying Sewell to cause King's death. His plea agreement called for a 12-year prison sentence.
