NEWARK, NJ — Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II announced Dec. 12 that an Essex County jury has convicted Jeffrey Holland, 30, of East Orange of triple murder for the killing of Tiniquah Rouse, 21; Ashley Jones, 23; and Jarrell Marshall, 28.
Following a trial before presiding Essex County Criminal Division Judge Ronald D. Wigler, the jury deliberated for a day before convicting Holland on all 17 counts.
In addition to being convicted of the three murders, the jury also found Holland guilty of desecration of human remains, hindering, felony murder, burglary, theft, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and multiple counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
At the end of the trial, the jury was brought back to deliberate on a separate count and found Holland guilty of being a convicted felon with a weapon.
“After almost three years of waiting, the Rouse, Jones and Marshall families finally have justice for the horrific murders of Tiniquah, Ashley and Jarrell. This result could not have been accomplished without the tireless efforts of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Task Force and the witnesses who came forward,” Assistant Prosecutor Justin Edwab, who tried the case, said in a press release. “With this verdict today, this defendant will no longer be a threat to society.”
On Jan. 29, 2016, Holland went to 29 Stratford Place, Newark, the residence of Rouse, with whom he had a romantic relationship, and strangled and drowned her. Holland subsequently put Rouse’s 5-month-old baby boy in a closet in the apartment before leaving the apartment. Law enforcement later found Rouse in her apartment bathroom deceased and mutilated. The baby boy was found unharmed.
The next day, Holland went to 336 Clinton Place, Jones’ apartment; Jones and Holland previously dated but had broken up. Holland kicked in the apartment door and shot Jones and Marshall, who had recently started dating. Three children were located inside the apartment when the police arrived. The children included two children that Jones and Holland had together as well as a child of Marshall’s. The children were not physically harmed.
At trial, Holland admitted killing Rouse but claimed it was an accident. He denied having anything to do with the murders of Jones and Marshall.
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 26. He faces life in prison.
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