After the Superior Court of New Jersey Appellate Division ruled for a resentencing in 2021, a woman received 70 years in state prison for her role in the 2010 Jersey City double homicide.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Latonia Bellamy, 33, was sentenced on Monday to 30 years for felony murder with 30 years parole ineligibility relating to the death of Michael Muchioki, which will run concurrent to a 10-year sentence for robbery, authorities said today.
Additionally, Bellamy was sentenced to a consecutive 40-year term in prison for murder with 85 percent parole ineligibility relating to the death of Nia Haqq, which runs concurrent to a 10-year sentence for carjacking, a 10-year sentence for robbery, and a five-year sentence for unlawful possession of a weapon.
Bellamy will not be eligible for parole until 64 years of the sentence is served.
She was convicted at trial on June 21st, 2021, after Muchioki, 27, and Haqq, 25, were robbed and fatally shot on Randolph Avenue on April 4th, 2010 after returning home from their engagement party.
The resentencing was required following the appellate court’s May 21st, 2021 ruling affirmed Bellamy’s conviction, but remanded the matter back to the court to consider additional records provided by the defendant as part of her sentence.
Shiquan Bellamy, 34, Latonia’s cousin, is serving a life plus 30-year sentence and Darmellia Lawrence, 35, is serving a 20-year sentence for their roles in Muchioki and Haqq’s deaths.
According to the New Jersey Department of Corrections, Latonia Bellamy has been incarcerated at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility since February 8th, 2013.
The State was represented at resentencing by Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Leonardo Rinaldi.