On the evening of August 9, 2018, Joseph Lee Jones Sr., a 37-year-old male, was fatally shot in the parking lot of Lakeside Middle School in Millville, New Jersey. The incident occurred at approximately 8:15 p.m., just as a youth football practice had concluded. Jones, a youth football coach, was shot 10 times in what authorities described as a targeted attack.
The shooting took place in front of numerous children and parents who were present at the scene.
Following the shooting, the suspects fled the scene. An investigation involving the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office, the Millville Police Department, and the New Jersey State Police led to the identification and arrest of several individuals. Three men, Eugene Cosby, Will El-Bey, and Clifton Bailey, were ultimately convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
The investigation revealed that the perpetrators had coordinated their efforts, traveling from Vineland to the middle school to carry out the killing. After the shooting, as they fled north on Route 55, they fired at a pursuing police officer, though the officer was not injured. The suspects then attempted to dispose of the vehicles used in the crime. In the course of the investigation, it was discovered that some of the suspects also attempted to tamper with witnesses and provide false statements to law enforcement.
Ultimately, a jury found Cosby, El-Bey, and Bailey guilty. Eugene Cosby was sentenced to life in prison. Will El-Bey received a 40-year prison sentence, and Clifton Bailey was also sentenced to a lengthy prison term for his role in the murder. Several other individuals faced charges for their efforts to hinder the investigation and aid the primary suspects.
