Man Gets 14 Years For Aggravated Manslaughter

Kendrick T. Coley (Photo courtesy OCPO)

  LITTLE EGG HARBOR – A man who fatally stabbed his victim during a fight was sentenced to 14 years in New Jersey State Prison for Aggravated Manslaughter.

  Kendrick Coley, 29, of Little Egg Harbor, had previously pled guilty to the events that took place on the night of May 16, 2018. Coley and Richard Pone had been in a fight and Coley had stabbed the other man. Coley was arrested without incident. Police arrived at 8:15 p.m. and Pone was pronounced dead at 8:40 p.m.

  Due to the No Early Release Act, he must serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence before he may be considered for parole eligibility.

  Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer commended Chief Trial Attorney Michael Weatherstone and Assistant Prosecutor Kimberly Carr who handled the case on behalf of the State, as well as the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Victim Witness Advocacy Unit, Little Egg Harbor Police Department Detective Bureau, Little Egg Harbor Police Department, Tuckerton Borough Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, for their collaborative efforts in connection with this investigation, resulting in Coley’s apprehension, guilty plea, and lengthy state prison sentence.