On the night of June 25, 2014, Brendan Tevlin, a 19-year-old male, was driving home in West Orange, New Jersey, after spending time with friends. Having just completed his freshman year at the University of Richmond, he was home for the summer. Shortly before midnight, he sent a text message to his mother saying he was on his way. While stopped at a traffic light, his vehicle was suddenly surrounded by three men.
One of the men, Ali Muhammad Brown, opened fire into the Jeep, striking Tevlin multiple times.
After the shooting, Brown pushed Tevlin's body onto the passenger-side floor and drove the Jeep to a nearby apartment complex, where he stole some personal items from the victim. Tevlin was found deceased in his family's vehicle in the parking lot of the complex. Initially, investigators believed the attack was targeted due to its viciousness, but friends and family could think of no reason why anyone would want to harm the good-natured young man.
The investigation led police to Brown, who was discovered living in a makeshift camp in a wooded area in West Orange. Authorities also arrested two accomplices, Jeremy Villagran and Eric Williams. Ballistics tests revealed that the gun used to kill Tevlin was also linked to three other murders in Seattle, Washington. During his confession, Brown described the murder of Tevlin and the others as 'just kills,' part of a 'jihad' to avenge U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. He stated the killings were a 'life for a life' in retaliation for actions by the U.S. government in countries like Iraq and Syria.
Ali Muhammad Brown pleaded guilty to a slew of charges, including murder, carjacking, robbery, and, in a landmark case for the state, terrorism. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In a statement to the court, Brown apologized to Tevlin's family but stated he did not regret his actions. Prosecutors later dropped the charges against Villagran and Williams. Brown was also charged in connection with the three homicides in Washington state.
