3 charged with murder in death of N.J. county prosecutor’s detective at her home

Three men were charged with murder in the killing of a Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office detective at her home, authorities announced Monday.
Nyshawn Mutcherson, 29, of Vineland, Jarred D. Brown, 31, of Bridgeton, and Richard B. Hawkins Willis, 32, of Gloucester City, are charged in the Oct. 15 shooting death of Detective Sgt. Monica Mosley during a home invasion at her residence.
Prosecutors have not said if Mosley was targeted because of her job or if she was shot during a random attack. But, investigators revealed for the first time Monday that Mosley allegedly put up a fight during the home invasion and shot Mutcherson in the chest before dying of her injuries.
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“This is a significant step toward justice for Detective Sergeant Monica Mosley and her family,” Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland said of the arrests. His office is leading the prosecution because the victim was employed by the Cumberland County prosecutor’s office.
“We are resolute in our commitment to ensuring that those responsible for this horrific act are held accountable,” Sutherland said. “Our hearts remain with Detective Sergeant Monica Mosley’s loved ones and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.”
Police responded to Mosley’s home on the 600 block of Buckshutem Road in Bridgeton around 10:30 p.m. after a report of several people kicking in the front door of the residence, according to police.
Officers found Mosley, 51, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and she died at the scene.
Arrest documents obtained Monday revealed for the first time that investigators believe there were three armed intruders who forced their way into Mosley’s home.
The three men are each charged with first-degree purposeful and/or knowing murder, first-degree murder during the commission of a burglary, second-degree burglary, three second-degree weapons offenses, third-degree hindering apprehension and fourth-degree obstruction of justice.
Cyndia E. Pimentel, 38, of Paulsboro, is charged with third-degree hindering an investigation, and fourth-degreee counts of obstruction and tampering with evidence.
Attorneys for Brown, Willis and Pimentel did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday. Court records did not list an attorney for Mutcherson as of Monday afternoon.
All four defendants are jailed pending detention hearings.
On the night of the killing, staff at Inspira Medical Center in Bridgeton alerted police that Mutcherson had arrived at their facility suffering from a gunshot wound, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed with his charges. He falsely told detectives he was wounded in Millville, the affidavit stated.
On the day of the killing, Brown and Willis picked up Mutcherson in Millville and traveled to a residence on South Avenue in Bridgeton, where they changed into dark-colored clothing before traveling to Mosley’s house, investigators said.
The trio entered the home and shot Mosley, police said.
“Mosley defended herself by shooting Mutcherson in the chest” before dying of her injuries, according to the affidavit.
The men drove Mutcherson to the hospital while Brown and Willis returned to the South Avenue residence and changed out of their dark-colored clothing and departed, investigators said.
The three men, with the assistance of Pimental, tried over the following days to discard, destroy and conceal evidence from the home invasion, court documents alleged.
Detectives used cellphone data, surveillance video, DNA analysis, ballistics analysis and recorded statements during their investigation.
The vehicle used by the alleged assailants on the night of the killing was a black 2012 Chevy Equinox registered to Pimentel, according to her complaint. She allegedly later drove that vehicle from Paulsboro in Gloucester County to a garage in Philadelphia in order to hide it from police, investigators said.
While she’s not accused of driving the SUV when the trio allegedly broke into Mosley’s home, Pimentel is accused of driving the vehicle with Willis as a passenger from New Jersey to Philadelphia in order to “hide said vehicle and evidence within the vehicle from law enforcement detection.”
Willis and Brown were initially charged with hindering, obstruction and tampering counts in the case. The murder charges were announced Monday.
The Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, New Jersey State Police and Bridgeton Police Department were assisted by the FBI and other federal agencies in investigating the killing.
The investigation into Mosley’s killing is ongoing, officials said. Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to contact the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-465-1135 or leave an anonymous tip online at cmcpros.net/tips.
Mosley began her career with the prosecutor’s office in 2006 as a paralegal specialist and became a county detective in 2009.
Funeral services for Mosley were held Saturday.
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Matt Gray may be reached at [email protected].