2nd Short Hills Mall Murder Suspect Pleads Guilty, But May Avoid Murder Charge: Reports

SHORT HILLS, NJ — A second suspect in the 2013 slaying of Hoboken attorney Dustin Friedland at The Mall At Short Hills pleaded guilty to a first-degree carjacking charge, but may have murder, felony murder, conspiracy and weapons offenses dismissed, reports say.

Friedland, 30, a Toms River resident and husband, was fatally shot during a carjacking when he and his wife returned to their SUV in a parking deck at the mall.

Authorities stated that the couple's Range Rover was the target — not Friedland — in the incident. Friedland was fatally shot after struggling with the carjackers, and his wife was then ordered out of the vehicle before the thieves drove off, authorities said.

• See related article: Mall At Short Hills, Other Shopping Centers On 'High Alert' After Murder Of Toms River Man

On July 24, Kevin Roberts, 39, of Newark - one of four men to face charges in connection with the murder – pleaded guilty to first-degree carjacking. Additional charges of murder, felony murder, conspiracy and weapons offenses will be dismissed at sentencing as part of the plea bargain, NJ.com reported.

Roberts is expected to be sentenced to 20 years in prison, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office told NorthJersey.com.

In June, another of the suspects - South Orange resident Basim Henry – was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the murder.

• See related article: Short Hills Mall Murder Trial: Getaway Driver Gets Life In Prison, Reports Say

Authorities have charged two other men - Hanif Thompson of Irvington and Karif Ford of Newark – with murder and other offenses in connection with the slaying.

• See related article: Four Essex County Men Accused of Deadly Short Hills Mall Carjacking

Friedland – an attorney in Hoboken - was pronounced dead following the shooting at Morristown Medical Center. His wife wasn’t injured but was also transported to the hospital following the incident, the Essex County Prosecutor’s office previously stated.

• See related article: Short Hills Mall’s Insurer May Be On Hook For Fatal Carjacking Lawsuit

REMEMBERING DUSTIN FRIEDLAND

Friedland’s Facebook page said he was a graduate of Toms River North High School and a 2006 graduate of Bucknell University.

The Asbury Park Press reported that in 1999, Friedland was named Eagle Scout for Troop 29 in Toms River and in 2002, the 19-year-old Friedland posed as George Washington for an America’s Day celebration at the Pine Beach Elementary School.

He competed in the N.J. Rowing Championship in 2001, and as a swimmer, placed third in the Toms River North-Brick Memorial 500-yard freestyle meet in 2000, according to reports. More recently, Friedland had been a member of the Hoboken Harriers Running Club.

Friedland, a 2009 grad of Syracuse Law School, was a project manager/estimator at Neptune-based Epic Mechanical Inc., according to his LinkedIn profile.

Keep updated with local public safety alerts at the Patch Millburn-Short Hills Facebook page.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

File Photo: Dustin Friedland, right, and wife Jamie Schare Friedland