2011 Freehold Twp. Home Invasion Murder Lands Man In Prison Life

FREEHOLD, NJ —A Newark man has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison for his role in a 2011 murder of a Freehold Township man during a home invasion robbery, the Monmouth County prosecutor's office announced.

Richard Busby, 61, formerly of Newark, was sentenced to 60 years in prison and must serve a minimum of 30 years before he is eligible for parole under the sentence handed down Friday by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Paul Escandon, Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said.

Among the factors noted by Escandon was Busby’s extensive prior criminal history; he had 11 prior felony convictions, including armed robbery and related offenses, dating back to 1978.

Busby was found guilty in September following a jury trial of felony murder, robbery and attempted murder in the death of Michael Conway and the attempted murder of Conway's girlfriend, Cheri Plamondon.

Busby and his accomplice. Jeffrey Mayhue, broke into the Jackson Mills Road home of Conway and Plamondon early on July 31, 2011, held the couple at gunpoint and bound them with zip-ties while Busby and Mayhue searched their home for money, marijuana and other items of value.

During the robbery, Conway broke free and struggled with Busby and Mayhue, and he was shot and killed. The two then set fire to the home and fled. Plamondon was able to free herself and escape the burning building.

Mayhue, 55, previously pled guilty to charges of armed robbery and felony murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Sept. 7, 2016. He must serve 30 years before being eligible for parole.

Subsequent to Mayhue’s plea, charges were signed against additional accomplices: Ellis Goodson, 41, of Neptune and Ranu Sinha, 39, of Freehold. Both later pled guilty to armed robbery.

Goodson and Sinha also pleaded guilty to an additional charge of armed robbery in a separate home invasion robbery that happened May 14, 2011 at a home on Brickyard Road in Howell. Mayhue entered the home with a handgun, bound the occupants and stole a large sum of money. Goodson and Sinha were charged and subsequently pled guilty to being accomplices to the planning of that robbery. Busby was not charged in the May 14, 2011 incident.

Goodson and Sinha also were sentenced Friday, the prosecutor's office said.

Goodson was sentenced to 13.5 years in prison by Judge Joseph Oxley, and his sentence is subject to the No Early Release Act requiring him to serve 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole, and a mandatory period of parole supervision after release.

Sinha was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Escandon, also subject to the No Early Release Act, the prosecutor's office said.

Gramiccioni credited the resolution of the cases to the strength of the victims and the strong collaboration between the prosecutor’s office and the Freehold Township, Howell and Neptune Township police departments.

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