2 Men Found Guilty In Fatal Shooting Outside Union County Barber Shop

UNION COUNTY, NJ — Two men were found guilty for the shooting death of an Elizabeth man in Jan. of 2020, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced Wednesday.

Charles Leach, 38 and Bashir Pearson, 22 both of Elizabeth, were found guilty last week on one count each of first-degree murder, second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose following a three-week trial for the murder of 30-year-old Tyshun Kearney, prosecutors said.

The jury deliberated for a day before returning its verdict.

The shooting occurred on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020 in the area of Jackson Avenue and Bond Street. After hearing gunshots, Elizabeth Police arrived on the scene and found Kearney, who had sustained multiple gunshot injuries, according to prosecutors.

Kearney was then rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, prosecutors said.

Testimony offered at trial revealed that on the day of the crime, the victim was shot several times outside a City barbershop by Leach and Pearson, according to prosecutors.

Elizabeth Police officers responding to the scene saw Leach, who matched the description of one of the suspects, and detained him. In addition, prosecutors said video surveillance obtained from the area showed Leach and Pearson fleeing the scene on foot and each discarding handguns, which were recovered later that evening.

Ballistics confirmed that these two guns were used to murder Kearney.

Sentencing has been tentatively scheduled for Friday, March 17 before Judge Thomas Isenhour, at which time each can face a sentence of up to life in state prison, according to prosecutors.