Michael Hayes, of Absecon, was convicted of first-degree robbery and numerous other charges, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office. He was sentenced on Tuesday, Aug. 29.
On Sept.15, 2020, Hayes and his accomplice waited outside S.B.’s house in Buena Borough with masks on and confronted him at gunpoint as S.B. left to go to work around 6:30 a.m. They duct-taped him and forced him back inside his house and into his bedroom. The jury found that Hayes held the victim at gunpoint in his room, threatening to shoot him in the head.
S.B. was robbed of approximately $1,000 cash and a necklace.
As this was occurring, the unknown accomplice walked down the hall and pointed a gun at S.B.’s father and told him and his wife to stay quiet. S.B. was able to break free from the duct tape and attempted to escape down the stairs. The jury found that Hayes told the accomplice to shoot S.B., and the accomplice obliged, firing one shot that grazed the victim’s head. S.B. was able to make it safely across the street to his neighbor’s house where 911 was called.
Hayes and his accomplice fled the scene.
The case was broken open when Hayes’ fingerprint was located on the discarded duct tape at the crime scene, the prosecutor said.
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