Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes announces that the Honorable Scott J. Bennion, J.S.C. sentenced Zamaire Barden, 22-years-old of Paterson, to an aggregate term of forty (40) years in New Jersey State Prison for the 2015 murder of Dennis Gillespie and attempted murder of Rachel Knight.
The State presented evidence presented at trial that on April 29, 2015, Dennis Gillespie and Rachel Knight, both New York residents, traveled to Paterson to purchase drugs. Dennis Gillespie contacted the defendant, Zamaire Barden, who had sold him drugs a day earlier.
Upon arriving in Paterson, the defendant directed Dennis Gillespie to drive to Fulton and Carroll Streets and wait.
The defendant walked past Dennis Gillespie’s car and returned moments later.
Zamaire Barden walked up to the car and shot Dennis Gillespie in the head and neck. Barden then opened fire on Rachel Knight who was in the passenger seat.
She was shot four times but managed to survive. Dennis Gillespie was pronounced dead at the scene.
A jury trial commenced on September 5, 2018.
Police say on September 13, 2018, the jury found Zamaire Barden guilty of first degree Murder, first degree Attempted Murder, second degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, and two counts of second degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose.
Zamaire Barden was sentenced to a total term of forty (40) years in New Jersey State Prison.
He received a term of 30 years for the murder of Dennis Gillespie, of which he must serve a mandatory parole ineligibility period of 30 years. He also received a term of ten (10) years for the attempted murder of Rachel
Knight of which he must serve 85% before he is eligible for parole.
The sentences are to run consecutively. Zamaire Barden was also sentenced to 5 years in New Jersey State Prison on the weapons offenses which will be served concurrently.