Brothers Indicted In Connection With Franklin Township Homicide

SOMERVILLE, N.J. - Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey D. Soriano announces that a Somerset County Grand Jury has returned an indictment against Zaire Cromedy, age 21, of Langley Place, New Brunswick, New Jersey and Antwan Cromedy, age 29, of Vosseller Avenue, Bound Brook, New Jersey in connection with the December 29, 2013, fatal shooting of Eric Andrews, Jr, age 28, of New Brunswick, New Jersey.  Both are charged with 1st Degree Murder, 2nd Degree Possession of a Firearm for an Unlawful Purpose and 2nd Degree Unlawful Possession of a Handgun.  Antwan Cromedy is also charged with 3rd Degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (a knife) and 4th Degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon.  

On December 29, 2013 at approximately 5:53 p.m. Franklin Township Police responded to a 9-1-1 call reporting a shooting which occurred inside the Nu Trendz Hair Salon located on Somerset Street, in the Somerset section of Franklin Township, New Jersey.  Officers found Mr. Andrews inside the hair salon suffering from a gunshot wound.  Mr. Andrews was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Trauma Center where he subsequently succumbed to his injury and was pronounced deceased. 

Prosecutor Soriano states that detectives assigned to the Franklin Township Police Department, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office and  the New Brunswick Police Department responded to conduct the investigation.  The investigation revealed that the victim was shot following a verbal and physical confrontation with Antwan Cromedy while inside the hair salon.  During the altercation, Antwan Cromedy pulled a knife on Eric Andrews, Jr., and handed a handgun to his brother Zaire Cromedy.  Antwan Cromedy instructed Zaire Cromedy to shoot Mr. Andrews.  Zaire Cromedy fired one shot, striking Mr. Andrews, causing his death.

Both Zaire Cromedy and Antwan Cromedy were taken into custody on December 31, 2013.  They have remained in the Somerset County Jail in lieu of $500,000.00 cash bail since their arrests.

 The matter was presented to the Somerset County Grand Jury by Somerset County Assistant Prosecutor Robert J. Hawkes.