Remember when ... Tragedy at ex-NBA star Jayson Williams' Hunterdon estate

A shot rang out on the morning of Thursday, Feb. 14, 2002, at the Alexandria Township home of ex-New Jersey Nets star Jayson Williams.

At the time of the shooting, about 12 people, including Williams, his brother Vincent and 10 guests, were in the estate. Among the attendees were four Harlem Globetrotters.

Costas "Gus" Christofi, a 55-year-old limousine driver from Washington, Warren County, was found in Williams' bedroom shot to death just before 3 a.m., with a shotgun wound to his chest.

But, exactly just who shot Christofi wasn't immediately known.

A look at Christofi

Christofi, who worked for Seventy Eight Limousine in Pittstown, was hired by Williams to transport friends from a Globetrotters game the night before in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to dinner at Mountain View Chalet in Union, Hunterdon County, and then to Williams' estate.

At a memorial service for Christofi at Scarpa Funeral Home in North Plainfield on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2002, Joseph "Lamont" Alexander said, "He was the best friend anyone could ask for." Alexander was once Christofi's roommate. and Christofi was godfather to Alexander's two daughters.

Christofi was laid to rest on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2002, after a funeral service at St. George's Greek Orthodox Church in Piscataway. Later, Christofi's brother, Anthony, and other family members and friends, gathered at Red Tower III in Somerville, where they spoke warmly of Costas Christofi, a recovered drug addict who was credited with helping dozens of others get control of their lives at Freedom House in Glen Gardner.

"He was a sports fan," Hunterdon County Acting Prosecutor Steven C. Lember said of Christofi. "He must have been in seventh heaven (with) four Globetrotters and an ex-sports star. This is a sad story."

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"Until you know what happened, you don't have closure," said Andrea Adams, Christofi's sister. "We really don't know what happened. Like everyone else, I want to know what happened. At least then I could understand."

Investigation

"We know it's not suicide," said Lember in a Friday, Feb. 15, 2002, article. "Somebody had to fire that weapon that resulted in this man's death. Who that was and how that happened is what we're investigating."

"No evidence points to someone trying to kill the victim," Lember said in a Saturday, Feb. 16, 2002, story. "Not only is this a question of who, it's how this was done. That, in the end, will determine whether we file charges."

Joseph Hayden, Williams' lawyer, said Williams was giving his guests a tour of his home when Christofi was shot. Hayden characterized Christofi's death as an "unfortunate accident."

It was reported on Monday, Feb. 18, 2002, both Lember and Hayden dispelled published reports that Williams was showing off his shotgun at his mansion and flipping it around when it suddenly went off.

Homicide

Christofi's family learned on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2002, that Hunterdon County Medical Examiner Steven Diamond ruled the shooting a homicide, a legal term that defines a killing, but does not indicate whether it was intentional or accidental.

Williams was charged with manslaughter on Monday, Feb. 25, 2002, after turning himself in to detectives. He was released on $250,000 cash bail.

Williams was charged in an eight-count indictment that included aggravated manslaughter, reckless manslaughter and witness tampering. He faced 55 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

In 2003, Williams paid the Christofi family $2 million to settle a civil case. Williams said he had previously wanted to apologize to the family but was prevented by others "who had agendas" from approaching them. Williams said he was "deeply sorry."

Trial

Jury selection began on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2004. The state's case lasted six weeks, with 36 witnesses. Williams' legal team ended its testimony after four days and five witnesses.

Prosecutors said Williams was reckless when he pointed a loaded 12-gauge Browning shotgun at Christofi and flipped it closed, causing it to fire. Prosecutors said that after the shooting, Williams attempted to cover it up to make it appear to be a suicide, telling his houseguests to lie to police and trying to alter evidence.

Verdict

Jury deliberations began on Tuesday, April 27, 2004.

On Friday, April 30, 2004, Williams was acquitted of aggravated manslaughter ― the most serious charge he faced ― but found guilty of covering up the death of Christofi. After jurors said they were unable to reach a unanimous decision, a mistrial was declared on the charge of reckless manslaughter. Jurors said their final vote was 8-4 to acquit.

Christofi's nephew, Chris Adams, said, "He admitted he shot him. He was never held accountable."

Superior Court Judge Edward M. Coleman ordered everyone back in court on Friday, May 21, 2004, to decide whether to retry Williams on reckless manslaughter, come to a plea agreement or drop the charge. Coleman did not schedule the sentencing on the other charges.

On Friday, May 21, 2004, prosecutors said Williams would be tried on a reckless manslaughter charge, with the trial scheduled to begin on Monday, Jan. 10, 2005. He faced up to 13 years in prison. The reckless manslaughter charge carried with it an additional five to 10 years.

On Friday, April 21, 2006, a state appellate panel cleared the way for Williams to be retried on a reckless manslaughter charge.

Under the terms of a plea agreement reached Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009, with the state Attorney General's Office, which took over the case from the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office, Williams would serve his sentence in state prison.

On Monday, Jan. 11, 2010, Williams pleaded guilty in Somerville to a downgraded charge. The 6-foot-10 Williams, who was once among the NBA's best rebounders, was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Edward M. Coleman in Somerville to a five-year prison term on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010.

Williams was released from jail on Friday, April 13, 2012, having served time in New Jersey on the charges stemming from Christofi's death, and then eight months in New York for drunken driving.

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Brad Wadlow is a staff writer for MyCentralJersey.com

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Tragedy at ex-NBA star Jayson Williams' NJ estate: a look back