In the early morning hours of September 1, 2014, the quiet of a North Brunswick, New Jersey townhouse community was shattered by the sound of gunfire. Brian Hoey, a 43-year-old male resident, was fatally shot outside of his home on Schmidt Lane. The investigation into his death would reveal a neighborhood dispute that escalated to a tragic and violent end. Police responded to a call at 1:26 a.m. and found Hoey, who was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:54 a.m.
The subsequent investigation, led by the North Brunswick Police Department and the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, quickly focused on a neighbor. After a month-long inquiry, authorities arrested Roland Amos, who lived next door to Hoey. The investigation pieced together a narrative of conflict between the two men, which culminated in the fatal shooting. Although there were no eyewitnesses to the shooting itself and the murder weapon was never recovered, prosecutors built a circumstantial case against Amos.
A key piece of evidence that emerged during the investigation were threats Amos had made to his girlfriend.
In February 2017, a jury found Roland Amos guilty of the murder of Brian Hoey. He was convicted on multiple charges, including murder and weapons offenses. The trial revealed that Hoey had been shot seven times. In May 2017, Amos was sentenced to a total of 80 years in state prison for his crimes. The judge stipulated that he must serve a minimum of 40 years before being eligible for parole. Despite maintaining his innocence and pursuing an appeal, his conviction was later upheld. The tragic event left a lasting impact on Hoey's family and the local community.
