NEWARK — A 24-year-old city man could face 30 years in prison in connection with the murder of another resident that took place in 2013 while the defendant was on house arrest.

Dawan Ingram was convicted by an Essex County jury of shooting 21-year-old Najee Montague to death in front of a grocery store on South Orange Avenue. Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray said the verdict was reached following a three-week trial in Superior Court.

Ingram was also convicted by the jury of unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

According to the prosecutor, the murder took place on Sept. 21, 2013. Authorities say the victim was in front of a Newark convenience store talking with friends at about 7:35 p.m. when he was shot seven times. Five of those shots were in the victim's back, police said, and Ingram then fled the scene.

During the trial, defense attorneys argued that Ingram, who was wearing an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet, had been home with his family at the time of the shooting. Family members testified in his defense, according to the prosecutor.

The prosecutor said the state was able to refute his claim. Ingram's juvenile parole officer was also among the witnesses and testified that Ingram was not home when the murder took place.

"We are pleased with the jury's just verdict in this case. Mr. Montague was killed in a senseless, cold-blooded attack by this defendant. We hope this verdict brings some level of closure to the victim's family," Assistant Prosecutor Adam Salzer who tried the case with Assistant Prosecutor Roger Imhof, said in a statement Wednesday.

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.

 

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