A New Jersey man has been convicted for a second time of murdering his ex-girlfriend in front of a police officer in 2015, authorities said Tuesday.
Andre Higgs, a 53-year-old Watchung resident, was found guilty of killing Latrena May, a 27-year-old teacher, outside her home in East Orange, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said in a press release.
Higgs and May were arguing at the home on May 1, 2015, when she fled and flagged down a passing cop car, according to authorities. Detective Kemon Lee pulled over and hopped out of his vehicle.
As Lee walked toward the scene, Higgs fired multiple shots at May and killed her, police said. Detective Lee then returned fire and wounded Higgs.
Higgs, who’d been shot in the legs, backed into the home and barricaded himself inside with the couple’s then-4-year-old daughter before eventually surrendering.
“Detective Kemon Lee was a hero that day for responding to Latrena May and attempting to save her from the grip of her abuser,” said Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Justin Edwab, who tried the case.
Higgs was first convicted in 2017, but he appealed to the New Jersey Supreme Court, which tossed the conviction in 2023. The state’s top court ruled Higgs’ defense team should have had access to Lee’s internal affairs records and been allowed to question him about previous on-duty shootings.
But Essex County prosecutors brought the case again in 2025 and secured Higgs’ conviction for a second time. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 26, at which he faces 30 years to life for first-degree murder and three weapons crimes.
“This second conviction for murder for Andre Higgs was possible only because of the brave witnesses who once again came forward to testify about the defendant’s callous actions,” Edwab said.
