Essex County Man Killed Stepfather After Being Asked To Leave Home, Found Guilty Of Murder

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — An Essex County man has been found guilty of murder after he killed his stepfather two years ago, authorities announced Wednesday.

According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, a jury convicted Tyrone Cradle, 29, of Newark, of first-degree murder and related weapons charges in connection with the shooting death of his stepfather, Rasool Crews, 48.

The murder took place on May 19, 2023. Cradle shot his stepfather several times as Crews and his daughter were getting out of a vehicle outside of their home in the South Ward of the city. Surveillance video shows Cradle emerging from the side of the house moments before the shooting and then fleeing the scene after the crime, prosecutors said.

Witnesses testified that Cradle had been living in the Crews residence, but was asked to leave the home two days before the shooting, prosecutors said.

The jury returned its verdict on Tuesday following a five-day trial.

Cradle is scheduled for sentencing on Oct. 27. He faces a potential sentence of 30 years to life in New Jersey state prison, prosecutors said.

The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office credited the Newark Police Division, the FBI and ECPO Homicide Task Force detectives for aiding with the investigation.

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