Man Sentenced For Killing Roommate With Bat, Burying Body

A South Jersey man has been sentenced to 15 years in New Jersey State Prison for killing his roommate and burying him in the backyard of the home they shared with his father and his brother, Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced.

Bryan Costello, 26, of Lumberton, previously pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree aggravated manslaughter in the death of 23-year-old Justin Dubois. He must serve 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

Bryan Costello and his brother, 29-year-old Christopher, were both indicted last year in the murder. In March of this year, Christopher Costello admitted that he helped his brother bury Dubois in the backyard.

A month later, Bryan Costello admitted that he beat Dubois to death with a baseball bat, Coffina said. He also said his brother helped him bury the body in the backyard.

Christopher Costello was previously convicted of hindering apprehension and desecrating human remains. In July, he will go back on trial for aggravated manslaughter.

The investigation began on Oct. 31, 2016, when a relative who lives in a different residence reported she had not seen or heard from Dubois since Oct. 27, which was uncharacteristic. The initial investigation revealed that Dubois may have been the victim of foul play, and the Costello brothers were then identified as suspects.

Detectives then executed a search warrant at the home on Spencer Court that all three lived in. The home was owned by the Costello brothers' father. At the home, detectives spotted an area of soil in the backyard that appeared to have recently been dug up and put back into place. Excavation of the area revealed Dubois's body, which had been buried in that location at some point during the prior few days, police said.

Christopher Costello had testified in court that his brother woke him up in the early morning hours of Oct. 28, 2016, and told him a fight with Dubois "had gotten out of control," according to the Burlington County Times. He admitted to helping his brother bury Dubois's naked body in the backyard.

Dubois, formerly of West Windsor, had dreams of playing in the NBA, according to nj.com. He graduated from the Life Center Academy in Florence in 2012.

The attached image of Bryan Costello was provided by the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office.