In the early morning hours of April 3, 2017, the life of 35-year-old Pierre Collins of East Orange, New Jersey, was tragically cut short. Collins, a father of two young sons, was in the area of Ashland Avenue and Prospect Terrace when gunfire erupted shortly before 2 a.m. Responding to reports of shots fired, police officers arrived to find Collins suffering from gunshot wounds. He was rushed to University Hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal.
The investigation into the shooting was led by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. What began as a search for an unknown assailant soon focused on a single suspect. Detectives arrested 26-year-old Akeeme Thompson and charged him with the murder of Pierre Collins. The motive for the shooting, which was initially under investigation, was later described as a dispute between the two men.
A crucial piece of evidence emerged from a phone call Collins made to a friend just moments before his death, in which he stated that Thompson was pointing a gun at him.
After a trial that lasted approximately two weeks, an Essex County jury convicted Akeeme Thompson on three counts: first-degree murder, unlawful possession of a handgun, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. The conviction, which was handed down in June 2018, brought a sense of closure to Collins' family and the community. Thompson was subsequently sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for the murder of Pierre Collins. Family members expressed that the verdict provided a measure of justice for his children, mother, and all who knew and loved him.
