On October 31, 2019, a Middlesex County Circuit Court jury found Tariq Joel Beane of Lancaster County guilty of second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Following a three-day trial, the jury found Beane guilty of the murder of Elijah Baker, 18, of Gloucester County, around midnight on March 23, 2019 at a party in Locust Hill. Baker died from a bullet that entered his back.
Maximum of 43 years
Sentencing of Beane is scheduled for February 5, 2020 in Middlesex Circuit Court. Beane, who was 16 years old at the time of the shooting, had been charged with first-degree murder, but the jury found him guilty of the lesser charge of second-degree murder, which carries a maximum sentence of 40 years. The conviction of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony carries a mandatory 3-year sentence.
Beane was represented by attorneys Vaughan Jones and Alex Taylor of Richmond, who were not court appointed attorneys but were retained by Beane.
Testimony by a toxicologist called by Beane’s defense attorney stated Baker’s blood alcohol content (BAC) was .19 and that he had hydrocodone in his system.
In comparison a person whose BAC is .08 can be considered intoxicated while driving.
