Newark Man Found Guilty Of Murdering, Robbing Irvington Resident

NEWARK, NJ — A jury in Essex County convicted a Newark man of murdering an Irvington man in 2019, prosecutors announced last week.

Rashad Zeigler, 35, of Newark, was previously accused of robbing and murdering Rahman Branch, 39, of Irvington, according to a statement from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Jury members found Zeigler guilty on three of the six counts in the indictment on Oct. 21: conspiracy to commit robbery, armed robbery and felony murder.

Prosecutors released the following statement about Branch’s death:

“The robbery and homicide occurred April 27, 2019, on South 9th Street, Newark. The victim was sitting in the passenger seat of a friend’s car his when the defendant and an unidentified male ran up to the car and robbed the victim, said Olsen. During the course of the robbery, the unknown male shot the victim three times, while the defendant stood next to the passenger seat, preventing the victim from running away. The defendant and an unknown male then fled the scene.”

Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 9, prosecutors said.

Zeigler faces 30 years to life in New Jersey State Prison. He has two prior convictions; one for manslaughter and another for possession with intent to distribute narcotics, prosecutors said.

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