On a Friday evening in Bridgeton, New Jersey, the life of 21-year-old Davonte Marcus Lee was tragically cut short. On October 7, 2016, while sitting in a vehicle on Reeves Road, the young Black / African American man was fatally shot. In the immediate aftermath, he was transported to his sister's home before being rushed to Inspira Hospital in Vineland, where he was pronounced dead.
The incident set off an investigation by the Bridgeton Police Department and the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office.
The investigation quickly led to a suspect, a 17-year-old male named Michael J. Huggins. He was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service just two days after the shooting and charged with homicide. While in custody, Huggins became a murder suspect who, along with three other teenagers, escaped from the Harborfields Youth Detention Facility in Egg Harbor City. He was apprehended again in Atlantic City more than a day later.
During his trial, Huggins claimed that he acted in self-defense. However, a jury found him guilty of reckless manslaughter, indicating a disregard for the risk of death, though not a direct intent to kill. He was also convicted of unlawful possession of a weapon, but a judge later dismissed this charge. For the reckless manslaughter conviction, Huggins was sentenced to up to nine years in state prison. Under New Jersey's No Early Release Act, he is required to serve at least 85% of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
