Kalief Lyons (NJ Department of Corrections photo)
A Galloway Township man is accused of killing Pleasantville man two months after he was released pending sentencing in a gun case.
Kalief Lyons, 35, pleaded guilty March 5, in connection to brandishing a handgun Nov. 30, 2022, in Galloway Township.
At that time, the defense asked that Lyons be freed pending sentencing.
Superior Court Judge Bernard DeLury granted that request against the state's objections.
Lyons now is accused of fatally shooting Baseem Taliaferro, 38, inside a first-floor apartment at 9 W. Pleasant Ave. on May 9, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office announced Thursday.
Galloway police arrested him about 2½ hours after the killing, the report states.
Lyons had a 9mm handgun and a large quantity of drugs, according to the charges. He also had on the same clothing seen in surveillance video of the suspect going to and coming from the homicide scene.
Ballistic evidence matched the gun to the one used to kill Taliaferro.
Lyons and several others got into an argument about 20 minutes before the shooting, a witness told investigators.
Lyons left the area after the argument, but surveillance captured him walking back toward the rear of 9 W. Pleasant Ave. wearing a ski mask, the state alleges.
Lyons was seen walking away about two minutes later — after the shooting — without the mask, according to the Prosecutor's Office.
He was released from South Woods State Prison on Feb. 12, after serving time on drug charges, records show.
Lyons is now in the Atlantic County Justice Facility pending a detention hearing.
Anyone with information about the homicide or other serious crimes is asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit at 609-909-7666 or go to the Prosecutor’s Office Website at ACPO.Tips and provide information by filling out the form anonymously on the Submit a Tip page.
Information can also be called into Crime Stoppers at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS) or visit the Crime Stoppers website.
