In the late hours of a winter night in Burlington City, New Jersey, the life of 30-year-old Eric Thomas II came to a violent and sudden end. On January 21, 2017, near the intersection of East Broad and Library streets, a street fight erupted that would leave Thomas fatally wounded. A resident of nearby Eastampton, he was shot during the altercation and rushed to a local hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
At the time of his death, Thomas, a Black male, had only been a free man for a few days, having recently been released from state custody.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led to the apprehension of two suspects. Irie Y. Simmons, an 18-year-old from Pennsauken, was identified as the gunman and charged with murder and weapons offenses. Also taken into custody was 20-year-old Xavier L. Myers of Cinnaminson, who faced a charge of aggravated assault for his role in the physical confrontation that preceded the fatal gunshot. Both men were arrested shortly after the incident and held in the Burlington County Jail as the legal process began to unfold.
In the ensuing months, the case against the two men moved through the justice system. Irie Y. Simmons eventually entered into a plea agreement, pleading guilty to the lesser charge of aggravated manslaughter. In February 2018, he was sentenced to 19 years in state prison for his role in the death of Eric Thomas II. The charges against Xavier L. Myers for aggravated assault were also addressed through the legal proceedings, bringing a conclusion to the case that tragically cut short a young man's life just as he was starting anew.
