NEWARK, NJ — A jury has convicted two defendants on charges stemming from a fatal shooting that occurred in Newark in 2022.
Matthew Colon, 24, and Tashauna Hairston, both of Newark, were each found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree conspiracy to commit murder.
Colon was also convicted of second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun without a permit and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II announced the convictions today.
The case was tried by Assistant Prosecutors Austin Edwards and Mattison Monteleone before the Honorable Michael Ravin, J.S.C.
The prosecutors proved that on May 19, 2022, Hairston drove Colon to the 400 block of Mt. Prospect Avenue in Newark.
Colon exited the vehicle along with two other masked individuals and shot Angel Vargas, 18, and Saeed Jan, 18, both of Newark, multiple times, killing them both.
Colon later fled New Jersey and was apprehended in Tampa, Florida, with the assistance of federal authorities.
Colon and Hairston are scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 25, 2026.
Each faces a potential sentence of 30 years to life in prison for each murder conviction.
