In the summer of 2016, a grim discovery was made in a quiet Plainfield, New Jersey neighborhood. The body of 24-year-old Neelega Star Perry, a Black / African American female, was found in the backyard of a home on Spruce Street on June 30th. She had been killed by a single gunshot wound to the head in what investigators would describe as an 'execution-style' murder. A revolver was found near her body.
The investigation into the violent death of Neelega quickly involved a coordinated effort between the Union County Homicide Task Force, the Plainfield Police Division, and other county law enforcement agencies. Their work led them to identify three local men as suspects in the meticulously planned killing: Anthony Baines, who was 22, Gquan Johnson, 18, and Raequon Segers, 19.
By early October 2016, all three men were in custody, charged with murder and related weapons offenses in connection with Neelega's death.
The legal process that followed revealed a chilling narrative. Two of the accused, Gquan Johnson and Raequon Segers, eventually pleaded guilty to lesser charges, including conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, with Johnson also admitting to a weapons charge. As part of their plea agreements, both men testified against Anthony Baines at his trial. Their testimony, along with other evidence presented by the prosecution, painted Baines as the central figure in the murder plot. During his trial, it was revealed that Baines had attempted to create a false alibi for himself by coercing two women, threatening one with harm if she did not comply.
Ultimately, a jury convicted Anthony Baines on all counts, including murder and conspiracy. He was sentenced to 58 years in state prison and will be required to serve at least 85% of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. The sentencing brought a measure of closure to Neelega Perry's grieving family, who delivered emotional statements in court about the profound impact of their loss. The successful prosecution of Baines and his co-conspirators marked the culmination of a determined effort by law enforcement to bring those responsible for the tragic death of Neelega Star Perry to justice.
