The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Photo: Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.
A 20-year-old township man has been indicted for the October, 2014 murder of a New Brunswick youth.
Dequan S. Rogers of Alcorne Street was indicted Feb. 26 for the Oct. 13, 2014 murder of Joell Burton, 17, of New Brunswick, according to a press release from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.
Rogers is charged with 1st Degree murder, 2nd Degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, 2nd Degree unlawful possession of a handgun and 4th Degree underage possession of a handgun, according to the release.
Rogers has been held in the Somerset County Jail, Somerville, in lieu of $500,000 bail since his Oct. 14, 2014 arrest.
Township police responded to a 9-1-1 call at about 9:12 p.m. on Oct. 13, 2014, alerting them that a shooting victim was in the parking lot of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens on Route 27.
Officers found Burton, who was suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest. Burton was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, where he was pronounced dead.
A short time later, police received another 9-1-1 call about a stabbing victim near Victor Street. Officers found Rogers there, suffering from a stab wound to his upper torso.
An investigation by township police and detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office found that Burton and Rogers were involved in a fight, during which Rogers pulled out a gun and allegedly shot Burton.
