Slaying Suspect Maintains Innocence for Unrelated Robbery Charge

A West Orange man allegedly involved in the killing of 19-year-old Livingston resident Brendan Tevlin maintained his innocence relating to an unrelated robbery charge today in court.

According to a report, 19-year-old Eric Williams appeared in New Jersey Supreme Court for allegedly stealing an iPhone from a man in West Orange on May 14. Williams was arrested that day and released on May 24 after posting $50,000 bail.

Six weeks later, while out on bail for the robbery charge, Williams was arrested and implicated in the murder of Tevlin. [See related story.]

Authorities previously stated that Tevlin was shot on June 25 outside a West Orange apartment building during an apparent robbery attempt.

Williams was released on $500,000 bail following his arrest after Tevlin’s death, as reported in a previous Patch article.

Other named suspects in Tevlin’s murder are alleged gunman, Ali Muhammad Brown, and Jeremy Villagran, 19, of West Orange.

Brown was charged with charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, first-degree robbery, second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.

Williams and Villagran were charged with felony murder, first-degree robbery, second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.