After 16 years of remaining unsolved, Julious’s murder case has finally been cracked, thanks to the combined efforts of various agencies and expert forensic teams. This breakthrough was made possible due to significant technological advancements and a shared determination to bring justice to the victim.
Breyon Goodman, a 36-year-old man from Trenton, and Jason Howard, a 41-year-old man from Providence, R.I., took the life of Julious during a robbery near his Ewing home on May 9, 2008, according to authorities.
On April 14, members of the U.S. Marshals NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force successfully apprehended Goodman in Trenton, as announced by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri on Monday, April 22.
According to the attorney general, the charges against him include murder, felony murder (which refers to a homicide committed during the commission of a crime), and robbery.
Howard received a complaint alleging him of committing the same crimes while he was serving time for domestic violence convictions in a Rhode Island state prison.
According to Platkin, the case was cracked by the members of the New Jersey Attorney General’s Cold Case Network, who collaborated with their colleagues from the Mercer County Homicide Task Force.
“It has been 16 long years since the tragic and heartless death of Leroy Julious, a case that remained unsolved,” Platkin expressed. “However, the law enforcement authorities never forgot about it and never gave up. Our hope is that these charges will provide some comfort to the grieving family and loved ones of the victim.”
“Thomas J. Eicher, the executive director of the state Office of Public Integrity and Accountability, credited the relentless determination of detectives, advancements in technology, collaboration between agencies, and an unwavering commitment to seeking answers and justice for this heinous crime for the filing of these charges.”
Authorities reported that at the time, Julious, 47, used a portion of his bonus money to purchase new clothes for himself and items for his son.
Investigators stated that shortly after, he experienced a robbery, with his pockets being turned inside out.
The accused killers of Julious were identified with the help of the New Jersey State Police Central Regional Laboratory. Through the analysis of DNA and other evidence collected at the scene, the laboratory applied new advances to unsolved cases, according to Platkin.
The staff at the attorney general’s office and Mercer prosecutor Onofri were praised for their work. They were commended by the New Jersey Cold Case Task Force, the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability, and Onofri’s office. Additionally, the NJSP Office of Forensic Sciences, the U.S. Marshals NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force, the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, and the Ewing Police Department were thanked for their contributions.
