A New Jersey man, 53-year-old Andre Higgs, has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Latrena May, in 2015.
Incident Details
The tragic incident occurred late at night on May 1, 2015, when Higgs shot and killed 27-year-old May outside her East Orange home. At the time of the shooting, May had fled her home in a desperate attempt to escape an attack by Higgs and flagged down a police vehicle for help.
As East Orange Detective Kemon Lee approached the scene, Higgs fired multiple shots at May. In response, Detective Lee returned fire, hitting Higgs in the legs. He then retreated into May’s home, where her 4-year-old daughter was sleeping. After barricading himself inside, Higgs was arrested.
Legal Proceedings and Outcome
Higgs was originally convicted in 2017 and sentenced to life in prison, but the New Jersey Supreme Court overturned the conviction in 2023 due to issues with the defense’s access to evidence.
However, a second trial resulted in the same outcome, with Higgs being found guilty of first-degree murder, unlawful possession of a handgun, and other related charges.
Sentencing and Legal Impact
On Friday, Higgs was sentenced to life in prison, along with 75 years for the murder and an additional 20 years for related weapons charges. Under New Jersey’s “No Early Release Act,” Higgs must serve at least 85% of his sentence, which equates to nearly 64 years before he becomes eligible for parole.
Prosecutors and law enforcement expressed their gratitude for the bravery of the witnesses, including Detective Lee, whose actions helped stop the defendant’s violent rampage. The May family hopes that the sentencing brings them some peace after their tragic loss.
