South Carolina man convicted of killing Edison gas station worker in 2018
A South Carolina man has been convicted of killing a worker at the Speedway gas station on Amboy Avenue in Edison in 2018.
Marcus A. Wright, 27, was found guilty Tuesday of murder, felony murder, and armed robbery, all first-degree crimes, as well as conspiracy to commit armed robbery, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said.
Wright is facing life in prison when he is sentenced Nov. 1 by Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Andrea Carter.
Wright shot John Bertram during a Dec. 20, 2018, armed robbery. Bertram, 38, of the Fords section of Woodbridge, who had a learning disability, was working the night shift as a convenience store clerk at the gas station for about four months to help pay for the taxes on the home he inherited from his late father.
Bertram was shot before dawn by a masked robber after handing over the cash register drawer at the Speedway in the Clara Barton section of Edison. Bertram was pronounced dead at the scene at 4:15 a.m.
Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutors Lynne Seborowski and Caitlin Lavery presented the case. The investigation was led by Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Lt. David Abromaitis and Edison Lt. Loren Long.
The shooter, whose image was captured on the gas station surveillance cameras, was initially described as a man with a slight build wearing light-colored pants, a maroon-colored hooded sweatshirt, mask and gloves.
The investigation found Wright and an accomplice, Olya Quinnam, of Beaufort, South Carolina, were involved in the crime. Quinnam waited outside while Wright entered the convenience store and held up Bertram with a handgun.
On Jan. 3, 2019, Wright was arrested in South Carolina.
Quinnam pleaded guilty in 2019 to one count of first-degree armed robbery and faces 15 years in state prison.
More: Edison gas station murder victim remembered as 'extremely loyal'
CBS New York reported Quinnam, now 26, testified during Wright's trial that the two were friends who met through Facebook and that she borrowed her boyfriend's car to move her sister to Long Island and Wright came along. They stopped at the Edison gas station on their way home where Wright went into the convenience store while she stayed in the car.
When Wright returned to the vehicle, wearing a sweatshirt and mask, he told her to drive. After learning about the robbery through news reports, she left Wright at a rest stop and drove home, according to CBS.
Wright and Quinnam were named as "persons of interest" in a Dec. 19, 2018, 7-Eleven robbery on Long Island, according to the Suffolk County Police Department.
The Edison murder and robbery isn't Wright's only criminal offense. In 2019 Wright also was charged with the murder of his cellmate at Lieber Correctional Institute in Dorchester County, according to the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
The South Carolina affidavit indicates Wright and his cellmate Matthew Williams, 31, were locked in their cell on Sept. 13, 2019, when they became involved in a fight. Wright allegedly used a “personal weapon” to cause severe injuries to Williams’ head and face which resulted in his death. A pathology report indicated Williams died from blunt force trauma to the head.
Wright had previously twice served time in the South Carolina Department of Corrections for burglary.
Email: srussell@gannettnj.com
Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Edison NJ Speedway gas station murder: South Carolina man found guilty
