Suspect in slaying of dad at youth football practice will remain jailed
One of the men charged with gunning down a father attending his child’s youth football practice will remain jailed pending trial, a judge ruled Friday.
Joseph L. Jones, 37, was shot to death in the parking lot of Lakeside Elementary School in Millville on Aug. 9.
Will El-Bey, 22, of Vineland, and Eugene Cosby, 42, of Malaga, are charged with his murder, while two others are charged with lying to police about the case.
While they say Jones was targeted, prosecutors have not revealed a motive for the killing. Surveillance video, wiretaps and cellphone data were used to identify the suspects.
El-Bey appeared in court Friday morning for his detention hearing and Assistant Prosecutor Charles Wettstein presented arguments for his continued detention, providing additional details about weapons recovered during the investigation.
Given that El-Bey faces a first-degree murder charge and the potential to serve life in prison, release is not warranted, Wettstein said.
“In addition to that, your honor, the state’s very concerned about the accompanying charges regarding witness tampering obstruction of justice and hindering apprehension,” Wettstein said, noting that El-Bey allegedly paid a co-defendant to come up with alibis for himself and Cosby.
In addition, wiretaps reveal El-Bey and Cosby discussed disassembly of a weapon.
“There was part of a disassembled AR-15 that was recovered as part of the investigation in Malaga Lake,” Wettstein said.
A search of El-Bey’s home also turned up a 9mm Glock handgun which matches shell casings recovered from the murder scene. Ballistic test results are pending on that evidence, he said.
Defense attorney Diane Ruberton argued for El-Bey’s release, noting that he has no criminal record, has held down a steady job and has family in Vineland.
“He has lived his whole life here,” she said. “He is not a danger to flee the community.”
Ruberton pointed out that his parents hired her law firm to represent him. If released, he would live with them pending trial, she said.
El-Bey said little during the hearing, offering the occasional “yeah” in response to Superior Court Judge Michael Silvanio’s questions.
2 charged with lying to cops about killing of dad at youth football practice set free
While he acknowledged El-Bey’s clean record, Silvanio decided he should not be released, given the severity of the charges, including the accusation of witness tampering.
“I can also ascertain by his demeanor in court today that he would not be somebody I’d feel comfortable releasing on the street,” Silvanio said.
Several of Jones’ family members let out a cry of relief when the judge ordered El-Bey held.
He is currently being housed in Burlington County’s jail, where he’s being kept for his own safety, his attorney confirmed. Ruberton is looking to have him moved to a jail closer to Cumberland County, however.
Cosby appeared in court Friday afternoon for his detention hearing, but that appearance was rescheduled for next Wednesday to allow defense attorney Wayne Powell time to review recently received discovery in the case.
Cosby is being held in Essex County’s jail pending his detention hearing.
Prosecutors allege the killers traveled to the school in separate vehicles and traded gunfire with a detective as they fled Millville on Route 55.
While initial reports indicated the killers fled in a Pontiac Grand Prix, investigators linked an additional car, an Acura TL, to the crime.
Detectives learned that the Acura TL, allegedly driven by Cosby, followed the Pontiac from Vineland into Millville and was present in the school parking lot during the shooting. That car was registered to Genea Hughes-Lee, who is in a relationship with Cosby, prosecutors said.
Hughes-Lee, 34, who shares a home with Cosby in Malaga, and Tyrell Hart, 22, of Vineland, are accused of lying to police about who had the Acura the day of the killing. Hughes-Lee originally said she was driving the car, but later admitted that Cosby had the vehicle, according to prosecutors. Hart claimed he was driving the car. The Acura was later sold to a Delaware resident, prosecutors noted,
Hughes-Lee and Hart are charged with conspiracy to hinder apprehension, hindering apprehension, obstruction and false reports to law enforcement. They were ordered released pending trial during detention hearings Tuesday morning.
A search of the home Cosby and Hughes-Lee share turned up heroin, fentanyl, cash and drug distribution materials. Police also found “devices and other evidence relating to Cosby’s involvement in a dog-fighting enterprise,” according to his criminal complaint.
The drug discovery will result in additional charges against Cosby and Hughes-Lee, prosecutors said. Hughes-Lee faces a child endangerment charge, since her three kids lived in the home where the drugs were found.
Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips.