Jaszhark Rogers, 38, was sentenced to life in prison, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Friday, Nov. 15. He also received 46 additional years for other charges at his sentencing on Friday, Nov. 1.
Asbury Park police responded to the 1200 block of Washington Avenue just after 12:15 a.m. on Saturday, June 18, 2022. Officers found 26-year-old Yahnie Patterson lying in the road with severe head trauma.
Patterson was rushed to Jersey Shore University Medical Center. He was pronounced dead at the Neptune hospital on Monday, June 21, 2022.
Investigators said Rogers and another Asbury Park man, 31-year-old Shakri Prince, plotted to rob Patterson after an hours-long dice game. Rogers chased Patterson from the alley where they played dice.
Prince caught Patterson and hit him in the head with a gun. Rogers then kicked and stomped Patterson's head and neck as he lay in the street.
Rogers was convicted at trial on Friday, Aug. 16 of first-degree felony murder, murder, armed robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery. He was also found guilty of three second-degree weapons charges.
Erikah Handy, 24, of Neptune Township, and Tyonna Henderson, 34, of Asbury Park, were also arrested in the case. They were accused of helping rob Patterson, as well as aiding Rogers and Prince's escape from the scene.
Prince pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Oct. 29 to first-degree aggravated manslaughter and second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. On the next day, Handy pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree theft and Henderson pleaded guilty to fourth-degree tampering with evidence.
Prince, Handy, and Henderson were scheduled for sentencing on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025.
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