On the night of January 16, 2017, in Jersey City, New Jersey, a violent chain of events led to the death of 31-year-old Quadel Chisolm. Police responded to a report of gunshots at a residence on Fulton Avenue around 10 p.m. Upon their arrival, they discovered Chisolm's body in the entrance hallway; he had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to his upper torso.
Further investigation inside the apartment revealed two other victims, 26-year-old Ishear Bailey and his 25-year-old girlfriend,
Janaya Lee, who was pregnant at the time. Both had been shot multiple times and were pronounced dead at the scene, alongside Chisolm. The incident was quickly determined to be a triple homicide, sparking an intensive investigation by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office and the Jersey City Police Department.
The investigation uncovered a grim narrative of gang-related violence. Authorities identified two suspects, Markell 'Sayboy' Brown and Terence 'Sweet Meat' Shaw. It is believed that the primary target of the attack was Ishear Bailey, a rival gang member. Investigators theorize that Brown and Shaw utilized their associate, Quadel Chisolm, to gain access to Bailey's apartment. After allegedly shooting Bailey and Lee, the suspects are believed to have then killed Chisolm to prevent him from potentially cooperating with law enforcement.
Evidence gathered by investigators included surveillance footage that captured the suspects with a stolen U-Haul truck outside the apartment on the night of the murders. This footage was instrumental in identifying Brown and Shaw. The two men were subsequently arrested and faced a battery of serious charges, including conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, and causing death through the use of a firearm. The case highlighted the brutal consequences of gang warfare and led to a significant law enforcement response under the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative.
