Convict gets 70 years in prison, for shooting NJ man 10 times to death

🔴 NJ convict gets another 7 decades in prison

🔴 Sentence stems from the point-blank murder of a 29-year-old man

🔴 Same convict faces more time, for trying to kill another inmate

A young convict will spend the next seven decades in state prison, stemming from a murder in which he shot a man 10 times at point-blank range.

Darryl Watson was sentenced to 70 years in state prison for the February 2019 killing of 29-year-old Fred Sims.

Both men were from Newark.

Watson, now 28, was sentenced to 60 years for the murder conviction — and a 10 year term to be served afterwards for possessing a firearm by a person previously convicted.

Under the No Early Release Act, he must serve 51 years - or 85% of the longer term before becoming eligible for parole.

An Essex County jury deliberated for just one hour after a six-day trial in December 2022 before convicting Watson on 10 counts: murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, two counts of possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose and six drug crimes.

In a separate trial, the jury found Watson guilty of possession of a weapon by a convicted felon — linked to a 2016 conviction for drug distribution and unlawful gun possession.

🔴 Sentence stems from the point-blank murder of a 29-year-old man

Prosecutors submitted evidence that on Feb. 7, 2019, Watson was dealing cocaine and heroin near the Kretchmer Elderly public housing complex in Newark.

Video-surveillance showed him stashing drugs and a gun in the rear wheel well of a minivan — which he later removed before walking toward Sims and shooting him in the head.

Watson then stood over the man’s body and shot him 10 more times before running away.

🔴 Same convict faces more time, for trying to kill another inmate

While awaiting trial for homicide, Watson faced new criminal charges for a brutal attack on another man incarcerated at Essex County jail in September 2021.

On June 14, a jury found both Watson and fellow inmate, 22-year-old Byad Lockett, guilty of attempted murder for hitting a third man in the head with a microwave, causing a traumatic brain injury.

Watson now would face additional time added to his prison terms, when sentenced in September for attempted murder conviction.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom