Andre Higgs, 53, was resentenced Friday to life in New Jersey prison (plus 20 years for weapons charges) for the 2015 first-degree murder of his 27-year-old ex-girlfriend, Latrena May, shot outside her East Orange home as she sought police help.
The 2015 Shooting
- Late May 1, after an argument on Tremont Avenue, May fled an attack by Higgs and flagged down East Orange Detective Kemon Lee.
- As Lee approached, Higgs fired multiple shots at May, killing her; Lee returned fire, wounding Higgs in the legs.
- Higgs barricaded inside May’s home (where her 4-year-old daughter slept), then surrendered.
Legal Path
- Convicted and sentenced to life in 2017, but NJ Supreme Court overturned it in 2023 for defense lacking access to Lee’s internal affairs file on prior shootings.
- Retrial in Dec. 2025: Guilty of murder, unlawful handgun possession (as prior felon), and related counts.
- New NJ law mandates 85% service (nearly 64 years on murder alone) before parole eligibility.
Prosecutors hailed Detective Lee as a hero; the case spotlights domestic violence risks during escape attempts. Sources: Essex County Prosecutor, NJ.com.
