Elizabeth Man Convicted In Execution-Style Murder Of Girlfriend

ELIZABETH, NJ — An Elizabeth man was convicted on all counts filed against him in the execution-style murder of his girlfriend in 2011.

Abdul Shahid Aziz, 51, was convicted Tuesday morning for the murder of Ramona Shonette Jackson, 40, of Staten Island and two related weapons offenses following a three-week trial before state Superior Court Judge John M. Deitch and jury deliberations spread over two days.

Aziz drove Jackson to the end of Schiller Street in Elizabeth, stopping in a remote area by the railroad tracks owned by the Norfolk Southern railroad company at around 7 p.m. on July 11, 2011, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Melissa Spagnoli, who prosecuted the case.

"Once out of the car, Aziz fired a single shot at close range into Jackson’s forehead," Spagnoli said. "The bullet traveled through Jackson’s left ring finger as her hand covered her face and into her forehead, killing her."

A video captured Aziz driving away in his 2002 blue Ford Explorer.

Workers for a company installing billboards along the nearby railroad tracks found Jackson’s body about 12 hours later and notified authorities, according to the report.

Aziz surrendered to Elizabeth Police four days later following a Union County Homicide Task Force investigation.

Aziz confessed to the crime during a videotaped interview, but the Appellate Division of Superior Court in April 2016 granted his motion to have the confession omitted from his trial on procedural grounds.

Aziz is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 23, 2018 before Judge Deitch, at which time he is expected to face a term of 30 years to life in state prison.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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