A New Jersey man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for shooting and killing his ex-girlfriend outside her home while she flagged down a police officer for help.
On Friday, Andre Higgs, 53, was sentenced to life in prison for the 2015 murder of Latrena May, 27, a teacher at Pride Academy Charter School in East Orange. May and Higgs had previously been in a relationship.
Details of the Murder and Conviction
In late December 2025, Higgs was convicted by a jury of his peers in Essex County. The crime occurred on May 1, 2015, after an argument between Higgs and May outside her home on Tremont Avenue in East Orange.
The tragic incident unfolded when May ran out of her house to escape an attack by Higgs. She flagged down a police vehicle for help, but as East Orange Detective Kemon Lee approached, Higgs opened fire, shooting May multiple times in front of the officer.
The detective returned fire, hitting Higgs in the legs. Higgs then retreated back into May’s house, where her 4-year-old daughter was still asleep. After barricading himself inside, Higgs was eventually arrested.
Previous Conviction Overturned
Higgs was originally sentenced to life in prison in 2017 after being convicted for May’s murder. However, the New Jersey Supreme Court overturned that sentence in 2023 and granted him a new trial.
The court ruled that the defense should have been allowed access to the detective’s internal affairs file, which included prior incidents of him firing his weapon while on duty.
Despite the new trial, the outcome did not change, and Higgs was again convicted of first-degree murder and weapons charges. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the related weapons offenses.
Sentence and Impact on the Victim’s Family
Higgs will now serve 85% of his sentence before being eligible for release, which means he must serve nearly 64 years for the murder charge alone. This was made possible through a recent New Jersey law that mandates longer sentences for serious crimes.
Prosecutor Justin Edwab stated, “While no sentence can bring back Latrena May, we hope that knowing Higgs will spend the rest of his life in prison provides the May family with some measure of peace.”
Detective Kemon Lee was hailed as a hero for his quick response to help May, and witnesses who testified against Higgs were also praised for their courage.
