Newark Man Guilty Of Murder; Shot Victim In Face Near Large Crowd

NEWARK, NJ — An Essex County jury has found a Newark man guilty of a murder that took place in "broad daylight amid a crowd of people," prosecutors recently announced.

After a four-day trial, the jury found Eduardo Rodriguez, 35, of Newark, guilty of murder in connection with the death of Christopher G. Griffin, 36, of Newark.

According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Griffin was murdered at 6:52 p.m. on May 5, 2022. The shooting – which was captured on video – took place in broad daylight amid a crowd of people on the 300-block of Mount Prospect Avenue.

Griffin was shot in the face. He was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

Every witness fled the scene immediately after the shooting, prosecutors said.

Rodriguez, who was on parole for a previous carjacking at the time of the murder, remains incarcerated at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26, and faces between 30 years and life imprisonment, authorities said.

Essex County prosecutors credited the Newark Police Department, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for aiding with the investigation into the shooting.

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