By: Richard L. Smith
A Newark man has been sentenced to 50 years in state prison for a deadly shooting that claimed the life of a 26-year-old Elizabeth resident in 2021.
Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel said 28-year-old Jefferson Louis was sentenced Friday, October 24, 2025, by Union County Superior Court Judge Anthony Parenti Jr.
A jury convicted Louis in August of first-degree murder and related weapons offenses. Under the sentence, he must serve at least 85 percent of the term before being eligible for parole.
According to prosecutors, the shooting occurred on August 4, 2021, when Elizabeth police responded to Jefferson Park after reports of gunfire.
Officers found the victim, 26-year-old Archeley Brizard of Elizabeth, inside his vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Assistant Prosecutors Joseph Cho and Maura Janiszewski handled the case. 
In a statement, Prosecutor Daniel said, “I hope this sentence can provide some assurance to the victim and his family, as well as the community, that we will not tolerate these egregious offenses and will expend all of our efforts to bring offenders to justice.”