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2 Plead Guilty In Fatal Shooting Of Chinese Food Deliveryman

By Pete McCarthy
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BRIDGETON -- The 16-year-old accused shooter and an accomplice pleaded guilty Monday to their roles in the June 16 robbery and slaying of a Chinese food deliveryman.

In separate proceedings, Kyle Walker and 18-year-old Jonathan Bell Jr., both of Millville, entered guilty pleas without having their cases go before a grand jury.

Walker admitted to robbing and shooting 37-year-old Jian Hui Lin at Mill Village Apartments.

Walker went before Superior Court Judge Timothy Farrell to plead guilty to first-degree murder and first-degree robbery.

Bell pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter and second-degree robbery for acting as a lookout during the incident. He will serve a net term of 12 years in prison when sentenced.

In return for his guilty plea, Walker must serve a 30-year sentence on the murder charge and a 15-year sentence to run concurrent on the robbery charge. He will not be eligible for parole until he serves the full 30 years.

Looking down throughout most of the proceedings, Walker admitted to conspiring with five others to call in a take-out order and then rob the delivery person.

Walker said he took a .38-caliber handgun from another juvenile co-defendant and brandished it while trying to rob Lin.

"Did a struggle ensue between you and the deliveryman?" defense attorney Jennifer Webb-McRae asked Walker. "And, during the struggle, did the firearm go off?"

Walker answered yes to both questions.

He also admitted to splitting up the money taken during the robbery with the others before going home.

Besides his co-defendants' statements, which place Walker at the scene with a gun, this is the first time information of Walker's involvement was divulged.

All along, he was considered to be the shooter, but there was no physical evidence released during a waiver hearing last month when it was decided Walker would face these charges as an adult.

"He's never given a statement before and we do not have any eyewitnesses to the shooting," First Assistant Prosecutor Ken Pagliughi explained. "We have no way of verifying whatever Mr. Walker says."

In Bell's case, he went before Superior Court Judge Richard Geiger and admitted to acting as a "lookout" during the robbery and shooting.

He said he was aware that at least one of the juveniles had a gun and planned to rob the deliveryman -- therefore making him an accomplice to the homicide.

Bell also indicated some of the money from the robbery was given to him and that he ate some of the Chinese food later that night.

He must serve 10 years and two months before becoming eligible for parole.

Following Monday's proceedings, Pagliughi explained why he offered each person different plea deals.

"I think they're facing appropriate sentences based on the level of participation they had in this offense," Pagliughi said. "These defendants are going to be off the streets for a long period of time. Society is a lot safer."

Three other juvenile co-defendants -- facing the charges as adults -- have already pleaded guilty in this case.

Ernest C. Bell, now 17, of Bridgeton, pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated manslaughter and second-degree robbery; Kenneth Heggs, 16, of Millville, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter and second-degree robbery and Anitwone Cox, 16, of Millville, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter and first-degree robbery.

Ernest Bell face 23 years, Heggs faces 15 years and Cox 17 years in prison when they are sentenced.

The only co-defendant to not yet plead in this case is Amos Lamar Burch, 21, of Charlotte, N.C.

He was a fugitive for nearly two months before getting arrested near his hometown.

Pagliughi indicated he had not yet met with Burch's attorney to discuss a possible plea bargain in this case.

Sentencing for Walker and Bell was set for Dec. 17 -- the same day as the others who already pleaded guilty.

Both were returned to county jail in lieu of bail -- $500,000 for Walker and $250,000 for Bell.