5, including ex-cop, indicted in fatal home invasion at NJ detective’s house

☑️ Det. Sgt. Monica Mosley was attacked in her home in October

☑️ Four men were indicted on murder charges

☑️ Mosley did not know her assailants, prosecutors say

An Atlantic County grand jury has indicted four people on charges of murdering Cumberland County Detective Sgt. Monica Mosley in an invasion of her house.

On Oct. 15, the veteran detective was gunned down by intruders who got in by kicking in the door of her Bridgetown home. Mosley heard them enter, grabbed her service weapon and went to see what was going on, investigators said.

Byron Thomas, 35, of Paulsboro; Nyshawn Mutcherson, 29, of Vineland; Jarred Brown, 31, of Bridgeton; and Richard B. Hawkins Willis, 32, of Gloucester City, were indicted with first-degree murder, second-degree burglary, third-degree hindering, fourth-degree obstruction and weapons offenses.

A fifth person, Cyndia Pimentel, 38, of Paulsboro, was indicted on charges of third-degree hindering an investigation, fourth-degree obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence. She helped hide evidence and drove the getaway SUV to a Philadelphia garage, investigators said. She was a Camden County police officer between 2013 and 2015.

The case was moved to Atlantic County as defense attorneys did not think they could get a fair trial in Cumberland County. Prosecutors have not disclosed a motive for the attack but said Mosley did not know her assailants.

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Defended herself, family until the end

Cape May County Assistant Prosecutor Saverio Carroccia says Mosley was able to fire three shots off at her attackers, hitting one suspect in the chest. One of the suspects shot Mosley in the knee, knocking her to the ground. Mosely continued to fight but was shot in the wrist. One of the suspects moved behind Mosley and fired a fatal shot to the back of her head, investigators said.

Mosley, 51, grew up in Bridgeton and worked her way up through the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office. At the time of her death, Mosley was a detective sergeant in the Internal Affairs Unit, the first Black woman in Cumberland County to hold such a position.

She had previously worked in the county's Juvenile, Evidence and Special Victims units. Her career also included stints in the federal court system and at a law firm.

Mosley was a mother of three children, grandmother of four and was married for 18 years. She loved Prince and was a big Philadelphia Eagles fan.

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