Two New Jersey men were sentenced to prison Saturday in connection with a 2018 murder in Cumberland County, Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae announced.
Eugene Cosby, 48, of Malaga, Will El-Bey, 28, of Vineland, and Clifton Bailey, 33, of Camden, received sentences for their involvement in the murder of Joseph L. Jones of Millville.
The murder occurred Aug. 9, 2018 in the parking lot of Lakeside Middle School in Millville after a youth football practice. Jones suffered ten gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead shortly after being rushed to Inspira Medical Center in Vineland.
An investigation conducted by the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, Millville Police Department and New Jersey State Police revealed the defendants and other unknown perpetrators traveled from the Carver Village apartments in Vineland to the middle school before the murder.
One of the vehicles involved fled the scene, headed northbound on Route 55 and shot at a pursuing police officer.
Cosby and Bailey jettisoned the vehicles used in the crime shortly after it was committed and drew help from others to provide false statements to investigators. Cosby and El-Bey were arrested Oct. 10, 2018 and Bailey was arrested Nov. 12, 2018. Three other defendants were arrested and already have pled guilty to the roles in obstructing the investigation.
Cosby, El-Bey and Bailey were convicted of first-degree murder and other offenses, including the recruitment of false witnesses to fabricate statements on Oct. 31.
Judge Cristen P. D’Arrigo sentenced Cosby to life in prison subject to a minimum term of 63 years and nine months.
El-Bey was sentenced to 40 years with a mandatory minimum of 34 years served before the possibility of parole; and a consecutive term of eight years for witness bribing.
Bailey received a sentence of 60 years with a minimum of 51 years served before a possible parole hearing.
Both Cosby and Bailey also received a consecutive term of five years with two-and-a-half years before parole eligibility for witness tampering.
Christopher Burch can be reached at cburch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SwishBurch. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips/.