In the quiet town of Millville, New Jersey, the life of 19-year-old Maurice 'Reese' Lewis was unexpectedly cut short in May of 2018. A lifelong resident of Millville, he was a young man with a future brimming with promise. He had graduated from Millville High School in 2016, where he was known for his athleticism on the football field and the track.
At the time of his death, he was a student at Pennco Tech, with aspirations of becoming a mechanic, and had also been a student at Cumberland County College. For three years, he was a familiar face to many as a crew member at a local McDonald's and had plans to serve his country by joining the Army.
On a fateful night, while driving his Chevrolet Suburban with two passengers, Maurice stopped at a stop sign at an intersection in Millville. In an unprovoked act of violence, a man walking along the street opened fire on the vehicle. Ten shots were fired, with eight striking the SUV. One of those bullets tragically struck Maurice in the head. In the chaotic moments that followed, the Suburban crashed into a parked car. While his two passengers were unharmed, Maurice sustained a fatal injury. He was rushed to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds two days later on May 20, 2018.
The investigation into the senseless killing led to the arrest of Terrell Savage four days after the shooting. The evidence presented during the legal proceedings painted a grim picture of an unprovoked attack on an unsuspecting young man. Savage was ultimately convicted in Cumberland County Superior Court of first-degree manslaughter for his role in Maurice Lewis's death. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison. The terms of his sentence stipulate that he must serve at least 18 years before he is eligible for parole. This sentence is to be served consecutively to a 15-year term he was already serving for an unrelated firearms offense.
