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A jury convicted 32-year-old Brandon Dennis on Friday, Dec. 6, Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae said in a news release. He was charged in the killing of 32-year-old Patrick Trotter of Penns Grove.
The case stems from an incident in Millville on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021. City police and the county prosecutor’s office discovered Trotter's body hidden under yard debris in a wooded area behind 519 East Main Street.
Investigators said Dennis broke into a nearby home where Trotter was staying. When Trotter tried to escape, Dennis shot him twice.
Dennis then dragged Trotter's body to the woods and covered it with mowed grass, leaves, and trash before leaving the scene. Trotter was dating Dennis' ex-girlfriend, NJ Advance Media reported.
U.S. Marshals arrested Dennis in Bridgeton on Friday, Nov. 12, 2021.
Dennis was found guilty of eight charges, including second-degree passion provocation manslaughter, desecration of human remains, and several weapons charges. Dennis was also deemed a persistent offender, increasing his potential sentence.
Dennis faced five to ten years in prison for the manslaughter charge, which could double due to his persistent offender status. The additional charges, including desecration of human remains and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, carried consecutive sentences of five to ten years each.
Sentencing was scheduled for Monday, Jan. 27, 2025.
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