Christopher Figueroa is a Camden, New Jersey man serving 25 years in state prison after pleading guilty to first-degree aggravated manslaughter in the 2007 shooting deaths of two men during a dispute over $22,000 in drug money. He must serve 85 percent of that sentence before he becomes eligible for parole.1NJ.com. Two Camden Men Sentenced in Double Slaying
The March 2007 Shootings
On the night of March 8, 2007, around 10:50 p.m., Figueroa was riding in a car driven by 20-year-old Jesse Hernandez near Empire Street and Park Boulevard in Camden. Also in the vehicle was 21-year-old Alfredo Martinez. Figueroa, Hernandez, Martinez, and a fourth man, Jason Rodriguez, had agreed to split $22,000 in drug money.2CBS News. Two Sentenced in Camden Double Slaying
A disagreement over the money turned violent. Figueroa shot both Hernandez and Martinez in the head at close range while the car was still moving. The vehicle flipped and struck a tree, killing both men. Figueroa climbed out of the wreckage and fled in a separate car driven by Rodriguez, taking the $22,000 that had been in Martinez’s possession.3NJ Courts. State v. Christopher Figueroa, A-2450-15T3
Arrest and Evidence
The day after the killings, Figueroa returned home with the stolen cash and told his girlfriend, identified in court records as R.M., about the murders. She deposited $1,000 of the money into her bank account on March 9, 2007. Figueroa then fled to Brockton, Massachusetts, where he was arrested on March 17, 2007, on a parole violation.3NJ Courts. State v. Christopher Figueroa, A-2450-15T3
Camden County investigators traveled to Brockton and conducted a custodial interview. Figueroa admitted stealing money from drug dealers and buying two guns the week of the murders, though he initially denied the killings. Investigators found blood matching one of the victims inside his home, and the girlfriend’s bank records confirmed the deposit of stolen cash.3NJ Courts. State v. Christopher Figueroa, A-2450-15T3
Guilty Plea and 25-Year Sentence
Figueroa was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder and other offenses. A conviction at trial could have brought two life sentences. His codefendant Jason Rodriguez pleaded guilty to robbery in September 2010 and implicated Figueroa. The following month, Figueroa pleaded guilty to a single count of first-degree aggravated manslaughter, and the remaining charges were dismissed.3NJ Courts. State v. Christopher Figueroa, A-2450-15T3
On November 12, 2010, Figueroa, then 32, was sentenced to 25 years in New Jersey state prison with 85 percent parole ineligibility. Rodriguez, then 30, was sentenced the same day to seven years in prison, also with 85 percent parole ineligibility, for his role as the getaway driver.2CBS News. Two Sentenced in Camden Double Slaying
Failed Bid to Withdraw the Plea
In 2014, Figueroa filed a petition for post-conviction relief, arguing his trial attorney had been ineffective and asking to withdraw his guilty plea. He claimed his lawyer should have moved to suppress his custodial statements, failed to investigate a potential alibi witness, failed to address his girlfriend’s recantation of her statements to police, and had a conflict of interest.3NJ Courts. State v. Christopher Figueroa, A-2450-15T3
On October 26, 2015, the Superior Court of New Jersey denied the petition without an evidentiary hearing. The court found that Figueroa had knowingly and voluntarily waived his Miranda rights, that the girlfriend’s recantation was “inconsequential” given the corroborating physical and financial evidence, and that a 2015 alibi statement was unreliable because it was unsworn and contradicted the witness’s original account.3NJ Courts. State v. Christopher Figueroa, A-2450-15T3
The Appellate Division affirmed on June 20, 2017, calling the plea deal “very favorable” given the alternative of two potential life sentences at trial.3NJ Courts. State v. Christopher Figueroa, A-2450-15T3 The New Jersey Supreme Court denied certification on February 1, 2017, ending his appeal.4Casemine. State v. Figueroa, Certification Denied