HE SHOT A MAN 5 TIMES, THEN TRIED TO SILENCE WITNESSES — EAST ORANGE MAN SENTENCED TO 125 YEARS

An East Orange man has been sentenced to 125 years in prison for the 2021 murder of a Newark resident and a subsequent scheme to tamper with witnesses, according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Isaiah J. Knight, 31, received the sentence from Superior Court Judge Ronald D. Wigler following his April 17, 2025, conviction on charges including first-degree murder, multiple weapons offenses, and conspiracy to commit witness tampering.

Knight was found guilty of fatally shooting 23-year-old Tyzier White five times at close range during a dispute on June 1, 2021, on Campbell Street in Newark. Prosecutors said the altercation involved Knight, his cousin, and the victim.

While in custody, Knight allegedly coordinated with associates—including his sister, cousin, girlfriend, and another unidentified man—in an attempt to influence or intimidate witnesses. His sister, cousin, and girlfriend have been charged and are awaiting trial.

Knight was sentenced to 75 years without parole for the murder, plus 10 years without parole for the witness tampering conspiracy. An additional 40 years—stemming from a first-degree weapons offense tied to a prior aggravated assault conviction—will run consecutively, with parole eligibility after 20 years.

Prosecutors said the sentence underscores the serious consequences of violent crime and efforts to obstruct justice.