TWO MEN CONVICTED IN MURDER OF PATERSON WOMAN JASMIN WEL

Two Paterson men have been convicted of murdering Jasmin Wel, who was shot while sitting in her car outside her home on East 24th Street in December 2021, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office announced October 7.

Jefersson Gonzalez, 25, and Elvis DeJesus, 29, were found guilty on October 6 after approximately three days of jury deliberations. A third defendant, Kristian Gonzalez, was acquitted of all charges.

WHAT THE JURY DECIDED

Jefersson Gonzalez and DeJesus were each convicted of first-degree murder, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon and fourth-degree tampering with evidence, according to the prosecutor’s release.

The verdict is the latest development in a case that began with Wel’s killing on December 2, 2021. Prosecutors said the evidence presented at trial established that Gonzalez and DeJesus shot her while she was in her car outside her home.

HOW THE CASE REACHED A VERDICT

Jury selection began August 4, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Justine A. Niccollai. The state presented testimony from Paterson police and prosecutor’s office detectives, the New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Sciences and the New Jersey Medical Examiner’s Office.

Senior Assistant Prosecutors Melissa M. Simsen and Ali Y. Ozbek represented the state. The jury returned its verdicts October 6.

HAVE THEY BEEN SENTENCED?

No sentence was announced with the verdict. The prosecutor’s office says the murder convictions carry sentencing exposure of 30 years to life in state prison. That describes the potential punishment, not a sentence already imposed.

The release contains an apparent error in the sentencing date: it lists January 4, 2026, which predates the trial and verdict. Jerry DeMarco of Independent Online News reports January 4, 2027. Jersey Alerts has not independently confirmed the corrected year.

WHAT ABOUT THE SEPARATE LODI CASE?

DeMarco also reports that Jefersson Gonzalez faces trial in a separate case concerning the March 2022 killing of John Anthony DeLeon in Lodi. Jersey Alerts has not independently verified the current trial schedule or case status.

The Paterson verdict does not establish guilt in that separate case. Any pending charges remain allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

SOURCES AND PHOTOGRAPHS

The verdict, trial details and acquittal above are drawn from the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office’s October 7 announcement. Both defendant photographs were released with that announcement. The reported sentencing year and current Lodi-case connection are attributed to Jerry DeMarco / Independent Online News; they are not presented as independently verified by Jersey Alerts.