Two Montclair Men Plead Not Guilty in Connection with Villanova Student's Murder

Two Montclair men charged in the murder of a 21-year-old Villanova University student on Williams Street last year pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Newark Superior Court. 

Ernest Williams, 21, and James Pitts, 22, were arraigned Tuesday by Judge Peter J. Vazquez in connection with the murder of Brian Schiavetti, 21, of Ridgefield, Conn., according to Essex County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Katherine Carter. 

Schiavetti was found shot multiple times in an apartment building on July 22, 2012 during a drug-related robbery. 

Williams was charged with murder, felony murder, robbery, and weapons and narcotics offenses. 

Pitts, who played on the Villanova University football team, was charged with robbery and narcotics offenses. 

Pitts did not show up to his arraignment on time Tuesday morning, according to Carter. The Montclair Times reported that Vazquez issued a bench warrant out for his arrest, but it was rescinded when Pitts later showed up with his attorney.

Williams faces life in prison if he is convicted of all the charges. He is being held at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark.

Pitts remains free on $100,000 bail.

Schiavetti, an honor roll student who graduated from Ridgefield High School in 2009, was due to graduate from the Villanova School of Business in 2013. He was spending this summer working as an intern at Thomson Reuters in Times Square in Manhattan.

The youngest of four siblings, Schiavetti made the dean’s list in college and played lacrosse and football and loved to play water sports.