MAYS LANDING — A confessed killer was sentenced to 30 years in prison last week — on the third anniversary of the victim’s death.
Marcus Brown, 25, of Atlantic City, was gunned down early June 8, 2009, in the resort. On Friday, Robert Ingram was sentenced for murder.
“He was sentenced the same day he murdered my grandson,” Denise Moore said. “That’s justice for us.”
Three years was a long time to wait, Moore said, but she never doubted her grandson’s case would be resolved.
“Once you have faith and believe in the Lord, he’ll bring it to pass,” she said. “I never let anyone come around me with negativity about the case.”
Ingram, 29, of Atlantic City, was arrested just eight days after the killing on unrelated drug charges. Five months later, he was charged with murder. He is currently serving an eight-year sentence on drug and weapon charges. Because Superior Court Judge Max Baker made the murder sentence consecutive, Ingram must first serve four years of the current sentence before the new term begins.
Under the plea agreement, Ingram must serve the entire 30 years before he is eligible for parole.
“I’d like to thank Detective Pat Snyder and Detective Greg Ingrum for the job they did investigating and solving this case,” said Chief Assistant Prosecutor Chet Wiech, who handled the case. “And thanks to Denise Moore for her support and patience. It was years bringing this to justice, but justice was served with this sentence.”
Atlantic City police responded to a shots-fired call at 1:39 a.m. June 8, 2009, and found Brown dead of multiple gunshot wounds across the street from Seashore Produce in the 1300 block of Reading Avenue, near Moore’s home.
“I can look out my door and see where my grandson died,” she said. “We never got to tell him, ‘We love you. Help is on the way.’ We never got a chance.”
On Wednesday, Wiech received notification that Ingram had already filed a motion on his own behalf to withdraw his guilty plea. It was something Moore had expected when she spoke earlier in the day.
“I’m prepared for everything that comes my way with all these appeals,” she said. “I know it will not come to pass.”
Brown is survived by a daughter, now 3.
“She never got to be a daddy’s girl,” Moore said. “All girls need to be a daddy’s girl.”
But her family will remind her. June 8 is Marcus Brown Day, his grandmother said.
“We got peace and we got justice, and that’s all I wanted for my grandson,” Moore said. “I pray for justice and peace for all the other families whose cases aren’t here yet.”
Contact Lynda Cohen:
609-272-7257
Follow Lynda Cohen on Twitter @LyndaCohen
