3 charged with murder in connection with fatal shooting of New Jersey detective

Three people have been charged with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a detective during a home invasion at her residence in New Jersey, officials said.

Detective Sgt. Monica Mosley, with the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office in New Jersey, was shot and killed at her home in Bridgeton on Oct. 15, according to police.

The Cape May County Prosecutor's Office announced Monday that charges have been filed in Mosley's murder.

Three people -- Nyshawn Mutcherson, 29; Jarred Brown, 31; and Richard Hawkins Willis, 32 -- have been charged with first-degree murder and murder during the commission of burglary, the prosecutor's office said. They were also charged with burglary, unlawful possession of a weapon, hindering apprehension and obstruction of justice, among other charges, the office said.

A fourth person -- Cyndia Pimentel, 38 -- was also charged with hindering an investigation, obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence in connection with Mosley's death, the office said.

The four defendants remain in custody. Attorney information was not immediately available.

"This is a significant step toward justice for Detective Sergeant Monica Mosley and her family," Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland said in a statement. "We are resolute in our commitment to ensuring that those responsible for this horrific act are held accountable. Our hearts remain with Detective Sergeant Monica Mosley's loved ones and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time."

The investigation remains ongoing, the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office said.

Police had responded to Mosley's home around 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 15 for a report of "several subjects kicking in a front door at a residence," the Bridgeton Police Department said in a press release.

Mutcherson, Brown and Willis are accused of breaking into the home in Bridgeton and shooting Mosley, according to the probable cause affidavit for their arrest.

Mosley shot one of the suspects, Mutcherson, in the chest before succumbing to her injuries, according to the affidavit.

The three suspects allegedly fled the residence and Mutcherson was treated for a gunshot wound at a hospital in Bridgeton, the affidavit stated. Police said previously they had detained an individual who had been treated for a gunshot wound for questioning in connection with the incident. Mutcherson allegedly told detectives he had been shot in Millville, New Jersey, according to the affidavit.

In the days following the shooting, Brown, Willis and Pimentel allegedly tried to "discard, destroy, and conceal evidence of the home invasion," the affidavit stated.

Mosley, 51, had three children and four grandchildren, according to her obituary.

She began her career at the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office, located in Bridgeton, in 2006 as a paralegal specialist. She became a county detective in 2009.

"The law enforcement community and the State of New Jersey have lost a steadfast and dedicated public servant, but we know that the loss of Sergeant Monica Mosley is most deeply felt by her family, loved ones, and colleagues," New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a statement on Monday. "While nothing will ever bring Sgt. Mosley back to those who loved her, we hope that the focused, coordinated efforts in this case provide them with the comfort of knowing that justice is being pursued."