Two Toms River men found guilty of murdering 19-year-old Bayville man
TOMS RIVER − A jury in Ocean County has found two Toms River men guilty of the murder of a 19-year-old Bayville man outside a Main Street apartment in the township on Oct. 11, 2020.
Daivon Sullivan, 21, and Leyron Jones, 26, were also convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder of a second victim and unlawful possession of a weapon. Sullivan was additionally found guilty of attempted murder of a third victim.
Both men face up to life in prison at their sentencing scheduled for Oct. 20.
Authorities had said that about 8:15 p.m. on Oct. 11, 2020, Javon Cutler, 19, and two friends walked out of Toms River Apartments on Main Street in the township and got into a vehicle, when an assailant opened fire on them. Cutler, who was in the rear passenger seat, was struck in the head. No one else was injured. The driver rushed Cutler to Community Medical Center in the township. He was then transferred to Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune, where he died of his injuries three days later.
A medical examiner ruled Cutler's death a homicide caused by an "intermediate distance" gunshot wound to the head.
After a three-week investigation, authorities alleged that Sullivan, Jones and a third defendant - Shadrach Correa, 21, of Toms River – acted together to carry out the shooting. All three defendants were charged in connection with the murder on Oct. 28, 2020.
Sullivan and Jones were arrested a day later and have been held in Ocean County Jail since then. Correa was already being held at Ocean County Jail on an unrelated charge.
On April 24, Correa pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and unlawful possession of a weapon. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 8.
Cutler, who went by the nickname Puff, graduated from Central Regional High School in Berkeley in 2019, according to his obituary. He came from a family of three boys and one girl and enjoyed basketball, video games, music and dancing, his family said.
"Javon (Puff) was the coolest of his siblings and the one that always seemed to know what to do. He was the person you went to for straight up honest advice and he didn’t sugarcoat his words," the obituary read. "Puff was a dreamer with a big heart and a smile to match. He was very genuine and sincere and always wanted the best for his family."
Ken Serrano covers crime, breaking news and investigations. Reach him at 732-643-4029 or at kserrano@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Two Toms River NJ men found guilty in slaying of Bayvlle man, 19
