A look back at the infamous Josh Pompey murder case

It was on March 9, 1998, that former boxer Josh Pompey was convicted in a Bergen County courtroom of murdering his ex-girlfriend and her elderly aunt by stabbing them to death.

Authorities said that Pompey, a one-time sparring partner of heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, went to the Hackensack home of Audrey Robinson, a woman he had dated years earlier. Pompey wanted to resume the relationship, but Robinson turned him down. Prosecutors said Pompey then raped Robinson and began hitting her. Her 74 year old aunt, Madeline Mitchell tried to intervene and Pompey fought her off, then stabbing her to death. He also stabbed Robinson to death after raping her.

After years of delay, Pompey finally went on trial for the two murders as well as the rape, and an assault on a police officer who arrested him. Among the evidence prosecutors presented was a 46 page confession, blood evidence from Robinson’s car, which he had attempted to steal, and bloody clothes found by a nearby school that Pompey was alleged to have worn. The defense argued that Pompey had diminished mental capacity, that the confession was coerced and that the blood evidence was planted by police. The jury rejected all these claims and found Pompey guilty on all eight charges against him, including the two murders.

Pompey was eventually sentenced to 70 years and nine months in prison. He will not be eligible for parole until June of 2060. It was the second trial for Pompey; the first jury could not reach a verdict.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle. Any opinions expressed are Bill Doyle's own.