Monmouth County Man Convicted Of Brutal Beating Death Of Brick Man: Prosecutor

FREEHOLD, NJ — An Asbury Park man has been convicted of murdering a Brick Township man who he lured to a housing complex and robbed before beating him to death in 2013, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said Friday.

Jahmir K. Bouie, 21, of Atlantic Avenue, Asbury Park, was found guilty Wednesday of one count each of second-degree robbery, first-degree felony murder, and first-degree murder for the murder of 36-year-old Thomas Sudano Jr., prosecutor's office spokesman Charles Webster said in a news release.

Bouie is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 2 before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Ronald L. Reisner, Webster said.

Bouie's co-defendant, Spencer Young, was sentenced Sept. 9 to 50 years in prison, subject to the provision of the “No Early Release Act” (NERA), requiring him to serve at least 85 percent of the sentence before he is eligible for parole, Webster said.

Sudano was killed July 27, 2013, on Atlantic Avenue in Asbury Park, Webster said. Asbury Park police responded to a report shortly before 12:30 a.m. of an unconscious male lying in the street and found Sudano in cardiac arrest and exhibiting no neurological responses, he said.

During the trial, it was learned that Sudano took a taxi from Brick to Asbury Park to meet with Bouie shortly before midnight in order to purchase illegal drugs. Bouie and Young met with Sudano at the McDonald’s on Route 35 in Neptune then lured him to the housing complex with the intentions of robbing him, Webster said.

At trial, a witness testified he observed both Bouie and Young with the victim around midnight. The witness testified that, without provocation or warning, Bouie and Young assaulted Sudano, punching, stomping and kicking him. Sudano attempted to flee from his attackers but fell to the ground unconscious. As Sudano lay motionless, Bouie and Young continued their assault, kicking and punching Sudano about his head and body. They stole Sudano’s cell phone and money before fleeing the area and leaving Sudano lying unconscious in the street, Webster said.

Young was found in possession of Sudano's cellphone in Asbury Park three days after the assault. Cellular telephone records revealed the phone was in constant use by Young from 12:26 a.m. on July 27, 2013 until he was arrested July 30, 2013, Webster said.

The investigation also revealed that Bouie was driving his girlfriend’s vehicle to transport the victim to the scene of the crime and using her cellphone to make arrangements with the victim prior to his murder. Bouie was arrested July 31, 2013, he said.

Sudano died July 29, 2013, at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune Township. The Medical Examiner’s Office determined his death was caused by blunt force trauma to the head and neck and the manner of death was ruled a homicide, Webster said.

The case was prosecuted by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Hoda Soliman and Lawrence Nelson. Bouie was represented by Robert J. Konzelmann, Esq. of Howell.

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