On January 5, Timothy Thomas, 34, of Newark was sentenced to 25 years in prison for convictions of Murder 2^nd Degree and Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited. Thomas previously submitted a guilty plea in October following an investigation into the shooting of Andre Hickson, 40, on July 6, 2020.

“When you commit a crime with a gun, you become our first priority,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “This was an excellent result from our team and the Wilmington Police Department. May it bring peace to the victim’s family”

“I am proud of the efforts of our detectives in solving this case, and our partnership with the prosecutors who helped secure a conviction in this murder case,” said Chief Wilfredo Campos. “This lengthy prison sentence reaffirms our commitment to delivering justice on behalf of victims of crime, and our resolve to hold violent offenders like this accountable for their actions.”

On July 6, 2020, Thomas engaged in a verbal altercation with Hickson at an auto repair facility on the 800 block of Wilmington’s East 13^th Street. Thomas pulled out a gun and shot Hickson in the chest before fleeing the area. Hickson was transported to Christiana Hospital where he died of his injuries.

This sentence represents a global solution resolving charges from a total of five cases pending against Thomas, including Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited from 2020, Strangulation from 2020, Assault 3^rd Degree and Malicious Interference from 2021, and Theft of a Motor Vehicle from 2021, in addition to Hickson’s murder.