Family mourns slain Brooklyn man, as accused shooter faces justice
A grieving Brooklyn family celebrated what would have been the 32nd birthday of their slain loved one just a few days before his accused killer was brought back to New York to face justice.
Jason Oliver would have turned 32 last Monday, but instead, he was shot dead on April 26 outside the Genesis Homes on Hinsdale St. near Blake Ave. in Brownsville back on April 26. His accused killer, Isaiah Roberts, was caught in Las Vegas and brought back to Brooklyn Wednesday.
“He is now going to face the music. Justice will be served. He’ll have to serve prison time. They got everything on camera. So… he can’t get away,” Oliver’s uncle, Michael Oliver, told the Daily News.
Jason Oliver was one of three brothers, and his death compounded a tragic family history — his older brother, Steven Oliver, was fatally shot in 2010, his uncle said.
“He was killed the same way. Someone shot him in the back,” Michael Oliver recounted. ” His killer also faced the music like this one is going to do.:
Court records show Steven was shot in the head while in a parking lot behind an apartment building in East New York, in retaliation for fatally shooting a man nicknamed “Tweety” in 2003.
Police arrested one of Tweety’s friends, Tiequan Ward, in the killing, and a jury convicted Ward of murder in 2015 — but that conviction was tossed in 2019 when a higher court ruled that prosecutors should have never called to the stand a witness who refused to testify or even take the oath to tell the truth. Ward remains locked up as he awaits a new trial, and a judge denied a June motion to dismiss the case.
Jason, a Crown Heights resident, did security work for a private company with a Metropolitan Transportation Authority contract, his mother, Elise Oliver said.
“He was happy about his job,” his mother said.
“I knew Jason since he was a kid. He grew up in front of me. I remember he was discussing the Mets game that day with me before he left. He told me he’ll be back soon but never returned,” Micheal Oliver said. He often discussed sports with his nephew, who was particularly passionate about hoops and his favorite team, the WNBA’s Dallas Wings.
Micheal Oliver said his nephew knew the alleged shooter. “He knew everyone around. I don’t know this kid… the one who did this but Jason knew him. It was something to do with the girlfriend but I can’t say what,” the uncle said.
His mom added, “I don’t know what happened that day but I know my child is not there anymore. He was loved by many.”
Roberts was indicted on murder and weapon possession charges and remains held without bail.
Roberts, who lived in the Genesis Homes, has been arrested 15 times in New York, mostly in assault cases, although he’s never done state prison time, according to court documents. His most recent arrest, for assault, was in 2022, cops said.
The 75th Precinct, where the murder took place, has seen a 30 % spike in homicides this year — 17 as of Sept. 3, compared to 13 in the same time frame last year