Trio Indicted In Fatal Thanksgiving Eve Shooting In Asbury Park

FREEHOLD, NJ — Three men have been indicted in the fatal shooting of an Ocean County man in Asbury Park on Thanksgiving Eve 2017, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced Wednesday.

Vernon Sanders, 34, of Brick Township, Steven J. Taylor, 36, and Avery Hopes, 23, both of Asbury Park, each are charged with first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, first-degree murder and second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose in the death of Denzel Morgan-Hicks, 27, of Barnegat, on Nov. 22, 2017, Gramiccioni said.

Asbury Park police were called to the area of 150 Prospect Ave. after hearing the sound of gunshots at 10:32 p.m. and found Morgan-Hicks in the driver’s seat of a 2017 Ford Expedition suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Asbury Park Fire Department Emergency Medical Services and MONOC paramedics also responded, but Morgan-Hicks was pronounced dead at the scene.

A joint investigation by detectives from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and Asbury Park Police Department identified Sanders, Taylor and Hopes as the individuals responsible for Morgan-Hicks’ death, Gramiccioni said.

In addition to the murder and conspiracy charges and the firearms charge, Sanders and Hopes are charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. Taylor faces a charge of first-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. Sanders and Taylor additionally are charged with second-degree certain persons not to possess weapons.

A conviction on the murder charge carries a minimum sentence of 30 years in prison without parole, and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, while the conspiracy charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Both are subject to the "No Early Release Act" requiring serving 85 percent of any sentence imposed in excess of 30 years before becoming eligible for release on parole and parole supervision for 5 years if released.

The weapons charge carries a maximum of 10 years, and pursuant to the Graves Act there is a mandatory period of parole ineligibility of half of the custodial sentence imposed, or 42 months, whichever is greater. If convicted of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, Taylor faces up to 20 years in a prison, which is also subject to the Graves Act mandatory period of parole ineligibility of one half of the custodial sentence imposed, while Sanders and Hopes each faces a state prison term of 10 years if convicted of that offense.

Sanders and Taylor each face up to 10 years in prison with a five-year mandatory period of parole ineligibility if convicted of the certain persons not to have weapons charge.

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