Two Union County Men Indicted for Murder In Robbery Gone Wrong

Two Union County men have been indicted on charges of felony murder and robbery, in connection with the death of a Brooklyn man who was killed in September during an attempted robbery gone awry.

Ali Garner, 28, and Keon Lewis, 30, both of Elizabeth, were indicted on charges of first-degree felony murder, first-degree robbery, and two second-degree weapons offenses in connection with the death of Mamuka Chamiashvili, 41, of Brooklyn, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park announced Tuesday.

The victim had travelled to Elizabeth on Sept. 16 to respond to a craigslist posting advertising a Mercedes-Benz SUV for sale, Union County Assistant Prosecutor Bruce Holmes stated.

After test driving the vehicle, men later identified as Garner and Lewis allegedly approached the victim and gunshots rang out, Holmes said.

Elizabeth Police responded to the area of Jacques and East Jersey streets in Elizabeth where Chamiashvili was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office:

Keon Lewis was charged in October following a weeklong effort by the Prosecutor’s Office, the Elizabeth Police Department, and the Union County Sheriff’s Office to locate and arrest him.

Members of the Union County Homicide Task Force arrested Ali Garner the week before.

Bail for Lewis and Garner was set at $2 million apiece by state Superior Court Judge Regina Caulfield and state Superior Court Judge Joseph P. Donohue, respectively.

If convicted, Lewis and Garner could each face a sentence of 30 years to life in state prison.

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