Jury convicts East Orange man of murder, attempted murder in 2 shootings

October 24, 2026

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NEWARK, N.J. — An East Orange man has been convicted of murder and attempted murder in two separate shootings in 2022 and 2023, one of which killed a 16-year-old, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said.

A jury found James Tolbert, 31, guilty on Oct. 9, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II announced.

In the 2022 killing, Tolbert was convicted of first-degree murder, first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun and second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose.

According to the prosecutor’s office, Tolbert and several other men picked up the teenager at a Newark residence on Nov. 27, 2022, and drove him to Irvington. After they got out of the vehicle, Tolbert demanded money and shot the teen in the face at close range, prosecutors said. Tolbert and the others then fled.

In the second case, the jury convicted Tolbert of first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated assault, second-degree conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun and second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose.

Prosecutors said that on Jan. 22, 2023, Tolbert used the same handgun to shoot at a Newark home where a 5-year-old’s birthday party had been held earlier. He and another gunman threw items outside the residence to draw out 26-year-old Altiliyah Butler, then fired 19 rounds, hitting Butler twice, according to the prosecutor’s office.

Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Austin Edwards and Assistant Prosecutor Alaric Azeez tried the case before Superior Court Judge John Gizzo.

Edwards said prosecutors “hope this verdict brings some closure to his family and his loved ones and helps them continue to heal.”

“We thank the ECPO Homicide Task Force, the Newark Police Division, and the Irvington Police Department for their diligent investigative work and commitment to securing justice for the victims,” Azeez said.

Tolbert is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 4. According to the prosecutor’s office, he faces 30 years in prison for the murder and 10 to 20 years for the attempted murder.

Anyone with information about criminal activity can call the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC (1-877-847-7432). Calls are confidential, the office said.

This report is based on information from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Source: Essex County Prosecutor’s Office press release