A jury convicted three men on October 29, 2026, in the 2019 shooting death of Newark barber Sabor Townes, closing out a case that stretched nearly seven years before reaching a verdict. Daezhon Peterson and William James IV were found guilty of murder and related charges, while Watson Delcy was convicted of murder, conspiracy and receiving stolen property. The jury reached its decision after three days of deliberations.
Townes, 22, of Maplewood, was fatally shot on November 19, 2019, while cutting hair inside Cut Creators Barbershop on Clinton Place in Newark, according to rlsmedia.com. Peterson and James opened fire inside the shop, unleashing more than 25 rounds at Townes as he worked, the outlet reports. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and two other people struck by gunfire survived their injuries.
Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II announced that the jury convicted all three men in the case, according to NJ.com. Authorities identified Delcy as the getaway driver of a stolen Toyota Corolla used in the shooting, while a third suspected shooter was never identified, per the same rlsmedia.com account.
Who Was Convicted and On What Counts
Peterson, 25, of Maplewood, and James, 24, of Irvington, were each convicted of first-degree murder, first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of second-degree aggravated assault, three counts of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and three counts of second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, according to NJ.com's reporting. Delcy, 25, of Hillside, was convicted of first-degree murder, first-degree conspiracy to commit murder and third-degree receiving stolen property.
The case was tried before State Superior Court Judge Christopher Romanyshyn, with Assistant Prosecutors Jacqueline Bilinkas and Sean Bradley prosecuting on behalf of the state, the rlsmedia.com report notes. Per NJ.com, the trial was delayed by repeated changes in defense attorneys and extensive pretrial motions, according to the prosecutor's office.
Prosecutor Calls the Shooting a Senseless Tragedy
Bilinkas described the shooting as senseless violence and a tragedy for the Townes family, according to NJ.com. She said the jury's verdict represented justice for Townes and held the defendants responsible, a sentiment also captured by rlsmedia.com, which quoted her saying the convictions brought justice to Townes' family while holding those responsible accountable.
What Comes Next
The defendants are scheduled for sentencing on January 8, 2027, according to NJ.com. Each defendant faces a prison sentence of 30 years to life, and Peterson and James face additional consecutive sentences of 10 to 20 years for the injuries inflicted on the two surviving victims, per the same report. The earlier barbershop violence had also drawn coverage from ABC7 New York, which reported on the barbershop and street shootings that left two dead and five wounded in Newark at the time.
