In the early morning hours of Halloween in 2016, 61-year-old Robert Rouse was found dead on a street in Elizabeth, New Jersey. A resident of the city, Rouse was discovered in the 400 block of Walnut Street before 6 a.m. and was pronounced dead at the scene from a fatal gunshot wound. The incident prompted a swift and intensive investigation by a joint team of law enforcement agencies, including the Union County Homicide Task Force and the Elizabeth Police Department.
The investigation
quickly led to a suspect, identifying 18-year-old Jimmy Kearney, who lived less than a block away from where Rouse's body was found. Kearney was arrested without incident later the same day. The investigation revealed a chilling sequence of events. Kearney had initially followed and assaulted Rouse, who was on his way to a train station. After the initial attack, Kearney ran to his nearby home, retrieved a. 45-caliber handgun, and returned to find Rouse lying in the street. He then shot his neighbor in the neck before going through his pockets.
A search of Kearney's home uncovered crucial evidence, including Rouse's backpack and the handgun used in the murder. Further investigation led to the discovery of the victim's wallet, identification, credit cards, and transit tickets in a nearby storm drain. The sneakers Kearney was wearing at the time of his arrest were also found to have Rouse's DNA on them. Initially held on a $750,000 bail, Kearney was indicted in March 2017. He later pleaded guilty to a single count of first-degree felony murder. In May 2019, Jimmy Kearney was sentenced to 30 years in state prison, a term he must serve in its entirety before being eligible for parole.
