On July 5, 2018, the life of 48-year-old John A. Sosa of Roselle, New Jersey, was tragically cut short in a violent series of events that unfolded in Newark. Sosa, a Hispanic male, was the victim of a kidnapping that culminated in his murder behind an apartment building on Brunswick Street. The initial reports of gunshots drew Newark police officers to the scene, where they discovered Sosa unresponsive.
Medical personnel pronounced him dead at the location.
The investigation into the homicide was a collaborative effort, spearheaded by the Essex County Prosecutor's Homicide Task Force, which included detectives from the Newark Police Department. Their work quickly led to the identification of a suspect. Antwan Malone, a 31-year-old man from Hillside, New Jersey, was identified as the individual allegedly responsible for Sosa's death. The circumstances surrounding the kidnapping and the motive for the killing have not been fully disclosed by authorities.
A few days after the incident, Antwan Malone was apprehended at a residence in Hillside. The arrest was carried out by members of the United States Marshal's Fugitive Task Force, with assistance from the Hillside Police Department and the Union County Sheriff's Office. Malone was subsequently charged with a string of serious offenses, including first-degree murder, felony murder, kidnapping, conspiracy, and multiple weapons offenses. Following his arrest, he was remanded to the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark to await court proceedings. The investigation into the death of John A. Sosa was announced to be ongoing, with authorities urging anyone with further information to come forward.
