Newark Bloods Member Found Guilty in Slayings

A jury in Essex County Wednesday convicted a member of the Bloods street gang for the 2008 murders of four Irvington residents, including a 13-year-old girl.

On Sept. 8, 2008,  Rolando “Ratman” Terrell, 40, of Newark, attempted to rob the home of 40-year-old Candes McLean, believing she had drugs and money. Terrell was aware that McLean’s boyfriend was in prison and that there were no men in the residence.

In the course of the robbery, Terrell shot and killed McClean, her 18-year-old daughter Talia, a niece, 18-year-old Zakiyyah Jones, and Latisha Curruthers-Fields, the 13-year-old daughter of McClean’s boyfriend. Terrell then set the house on fire.

Anijah McClean, Candes McClean’s 19-year-old daughter, hid in a closet with a 16-month-old nephew and safely fled the burning home. All the victims were from Irvington.

Terrell was indicted in 2009 on 16 counts, including two robbery charges, four counts of murder, aggravated arson, and multiple weapons offenses.

In April 2011, a jury found Terrell guilty of robbery, conspiracy to commit arson and two gun charges, but deadlocked on the murder charges. The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office then decided to retry Terrell on the murder and felony murder counts.

“Even though this defendant was already serving a life sentence as a result of the robbery and conspiracy convictions, we believed it was important to retry him on the murder counts. Four lives were taken. Given the violent nature of the crimes, we believed he should be held accountable for the brutal and senseless murder of these innocent women and children,’’ said Assistant Essex County Prosecutor Naazneen Khan.

Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 12. Terrell faces life in prison.