In a tragic turn of events stemming from a family dispute over money, a 29-year-old man, Javon Johnson, was killed in the Newark apartment he shared with his older brother. The incident unfolded on June 26, 2017, in their residence located on the 400 block of Avon Avenue, where a heated argument escalated to a fatal conclusion. Johnson’s life was cut short when his brother, Ervwakine Pryor, then 39, shot him.
Concerned family members, unable to reach Johnson, eventually called the police, leading to the grim discovery of his body at the scene.
The investigation into Johnson's death quickly focused on his brother, Pryor, who exhibited suspicious behavior following the murder. In the hours after the shooting, Pryor enlisted the help of a friend for a ride to a local Home Depot. During the trip, he confessed to his friend that he had killed his brother. Further compounding the disturbing nature of his admission, Pryor also stated that he had killed his daughter's cat, Skylar, which he chillingly referred to as a 'witness' to the crime. At the hardware store, Pryor purchased a reciprocating saw, a detail that would later point to his attempts to dispose of his brother’s body.
The friend, shocked by Pryor’s confession, contacted Pryor's daughter, who in turn alerted the authorities. This crucial tip led Newark police to the Avon Avenue apartment where they found Johnson's remains. Evidence at the scene indicated that Pryor had attempted to dismember his brother's body. A swift arrest was made, and Pryor was taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, animal cruelty, and unlawfully disturbing human remains.
Following a trial, an Essex County jury found Ervwakine Pryor guilty on all counts. The court proceedings revealed the senseless nature of the crime, which was initiated by a belief that his brother had stolen money from him. For the murder of his brother, Jovan Johnson, and his subsequent actions, Pryor was sentenced to a total of 75 years in New Jersey State Prison. The sentence brought a measure of justice to a case that not only took a man's life but also shattered a family through a brutal act of violence.
