In the summer of 2014, a young man's life was tragically cut short in a burst of violence. James Collins, a 22-year-old male, was shot and killed on June 26th of that year while he was sitting on the porch of a residence on Church Street in Millville, New Jersey. In the wake of the gunfire, Collins managed to walk inside the house before he succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation that followed the shooting led authorities to identify and apprehend five individuals connected to the
crime. These men were identified as Detyren Hatch, Vernon Blackwell, Dejohn Wilmore, Carlos Vellon, and Malcolm Walker, all residents of Millville. Investigators determined that the suspects were associated with the Sex Money Murder set of the Bloods street gang.
In 2017, four of the five men faced sentencing for their roles in the events that led to Collins' death. Detyren Hatch was sentenced to a five-year prison term for conspiracy to commit aggravated assault. Vernon Blackwell and Dejohn Wilmore each received five-year sentences for unlawful possession of a handgun. Carlos Vellon was handed an eight-year sentence for conspiracy to commit aggravated assault. The fifth defendant, Malcolm Walker, entered a guilty plea to a murder charge and was awaiting sentencing.
