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James Ray III, a convicted New Jersey lawyer who killed his longtime girlfriend, has passed away while awaiting sentencing.
James Ray III and Angela Bledsoe. (PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE ESSEX COUNTY JAIL VIA AP, ANGELA BLEDSOE/FACEBOOK
A New Jersey)
Convicted New Jersey Lawyer Dies in Prison
The death of the convicted New Jersey lawyer occurred less than a month before his scheduled sentencing, leaving officials and the public surprised.
James Ray III, 60, was pronounced dead at University Hospital in Newark on Sunday after experiencing a “medical emergency” at the Essex County Correctional Facility. The exact cause and manner of his death have not been immediately determined, and an autopsy is pending.
The Professional Standards Bureau of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of the convicted New Jersey lawyer, PEOPLE reported.
The vice president of the union representing jail supervisors confirmed the incident, stating that Ray was unresponsive at the time of discovery.
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Convicted New Jersey Lawyer Guilty of Murder
In a press release issued by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, it was revealed that the convicted New Jersey lawyer James Ray III had been found guilty last month of first-degree murder and weapons offenses in connection with the death of Angela Bledsoe.
Bledsoe, 44, was fatally shot inside her Montclair home in 2018. Tragically, the couple shared a daughter.
The incident took place on October 22, 2018, when the convicted New Jersey lawyer James Ray III shot Angela Bledsoe multiple times after she dropped off their 6-year-old daughter at school.
Reports suggest that Bledsoe had arranged a meeting with a Realtor on the day of her death, intending to find a new residence separate from the house she shared with Ray.
Following the murder, the convicted New Jersey lawyer reportedly prepared various documents and visited a local bank to withdraw checks and cash. He then picked up their daughter from school and left her with his brother at a restaurant before fleeing to Mexico.
From there, the convicted New Jersey lawyer booked a flight to Cuba, but he was ultimately arrested and brought back to the United States on November 6, 2018. Since then, Ray had been held in custody at the Essex County Correctional Facility.
The convicted New Jersey lawyer was originally scheduled to be sentenced on June 22, but the date was later moved to July 11 to accommodate the victim’s family. If sentenced as planned, he would have faced 30 years to life in prison for his crimes.
Thomas R. Ashley, one of Ray’s defense attorneys, expressed his sorrow over the tragic turn of events, describing it as a sad conclusion to a heartbreaking story. According to Ashley, one of Ray’s defense attorneys, Ray remained emotionless when the guilty verdict was delivered during his six-week trial.
The care of the convicted New Jersey lawyer and Bledsoe’s daughter has been entrusted to their family members, as confirmed by the prosecutor’s office.
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