In the early morning hours of a cold December day in Newark, New Jersey, the life of Keion T. Sanderson, a 29-year-old Black man with aspirations of a career in music, was cut short. On December 10, 2015, at approximately 12:52 a.m., Sanderson was shot in the 800 block of South 19th Street. He was pronounced dead at the scene just 16 minutes later, at 1:08 a.m.
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office and the Newark Police Department's Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force immediately launched an investigation into the fatal shooting.
Known in the local music scene by his stage name 'Doe bleezy,' Sanderson was remembered as an aspiring rapper. His sudden and violent death left the community searching for answers. In the days following the shooting, authorities appealed to the public for any information that might lead to the apprehension of those responsible for his death. The Essex County Prosecutor's Office urged anyone with knowledge of the incident to contact their Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force tips line.
Despite the ongoing investigation and the pleas for public assistance, no suspects were immediately identified in connection with Sanderson's murder. In the initial reports following the incident, it was confirmed that no arrests had been made, and the case remained an active and ongoing investigation. The lack of resolution in the immediate aftermath left a void for his family and friends, who gathered to mourn his passing at funeral services held at the James E. Churchman Jr. Funeral Home in Newark. The investigation into the death of Keion Sanderson remains unresolved, with no publicly announced arrests or identified suspects in the years that have passed.
