In the winter of 2014, the life of 34-year-old Jermarl A. Dawkins was cut short in a burst of violence. On the evening of Thursday, January 16, 2014, Dawkins was at the Burlington Manor Apartments in Bridgeton, New Jersey, when he was shot multiple times. He succumbed to his injuries that day, leaving a void in the lives of his family and friends. The incident was not a random act, and authorities quickly identified a suspect in the fatal shooting.
The man authorities sought was 20-year-old Paul Willoughby of Fairfield Township. For six weeks, Willoughby managed to evade capture, moving between various locations to hide from law enforcement. A multi-agency investigation involving the New Jersey State Police, the U.S. Marshal's Service, the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office, and the Bridgeton City Police Department worked to track him down.
The manhunt came to a dramatic end in early March of that year.
While conducting surveillance outside Willoughby's home, detectives spotted him leaving the residence. As they moved in to apprehend him, Willoughby attempted to discard a loaded. 22 caliber semi-automatic handgun by throwing it over a fence. Following a brief foot chase, he was taken into custody. In addition to the murder charge in connection with the death of Jermarl Dawkins, Willoughby also faced charges for unlawful possession of a weapon and other related offenses. He was subsequently lodged in the Cumberland County Jail.
