In the late summer evening of September 8, 2015, in Camden, New Jersey, the life of 19-year-old Saadiq Coleman was tragically cut short. Just before 8:30 p.m., near the intersection of Broadway and Benson Street, the sound of multiple gunshots pierced the air. Two Camden County Police officers, parked in their patrol car nearby, heard the shots and quickly exited their vehicle. They saw Coleman running towards them before he collapsed. He had been shot multiple times.
Emergency services rushed him to Cooper University Hospital, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead at 11:07 p.m.
The investigation into the shooting immediately began, with authorities seeking the public's help in identifying persons of interest captured on surveillance footage in the area. The investigation led them to 23-year-old Jacob Llera of Camden. Approximately eight days after the shooting, U.S. Marshals apprehended Llera in Philadelphia. Prosecutors built a case against him using a combination of witness testimony, surveillance video, and photographs that placed him as the shooter.
In October 2018, a jury convicted Jacob Llera on charges of first-degree murder, as well as two weapons-related offenses for his role in Saadiq Coleman's death. In January 2019, Llera was sentenced to 47 years in New Jersey State Prison. Under the terms of his sentence, he will be required to serve a minimum of 37 and a half years before he becomes eligible for parole.
