Sherief Sims, 23, admitted to disposing of Dana Jinks's body after she was allegedly killed by their roommate, Danielle Small Watch video
Sherief Sims, 23, pictured left, pleaded guilty on Dec. 23 to disposing of the dead body of his roommate, Dana Jinks, in March 2014 by placing her in garbage bags and putting them in an alleyway beside their East Orange apartment building. Another roommate, Danielle Small, 27, pictured right, is accused of stabbing Jinks to death and helping Sims to dispose of the body. NEWARK -- In March 2014, Sherief Sims said he walked into the bathroom of his East Orange apartment and saw the body of his roommate, Dana Jinks, laying in the tub.
Sims said "she was no longer alive" and there was blood "all over the bathroom."
Sims said he and another roommate, Danielle Small, later placed Jinks's body in garbage bags and disposed of them in an alleyway beside their apartment building.
Sims said he also threw away garbage bags containing Jinks's feet and her hand.
"The body was maimed, the body was dead and you helped to move the body to hide it, correct?" Sims's attorney, Robert Guido, asked him.
"Correct," Sims replied.
The 23-year-old Sims offered that gruesome account when he pleaded guilty on Dec. 23 to charges of desecration of human remains and hindering apprehension or prosecution in connection with Jinks's killing, according to an audio recording of the hearing.
In exchange for his guilty plea, Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Naazneen Khan, who is handling the case, said during the hearing that prosecutors are recommending that Sims receive a 15-year state prison sentence. Sims also will be required to testify truthfully at any future court proceedings in the case, Khan said.
His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 19 before Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler.
When he pleaded guilty before Wigler, Sims said Small killed Jinks and that he did not participate in the killing or in removing Jinks's feet and hand.
"I believe it was Danielle," Sims said when he was asked about who killed Jinks. "That's all I know."
Charges of murder, desecration of human remains and other offenses are still pending against Small, 27, who is scheduled to appear in court on Monday for a status conference before Wigler.
Small's attorney, public defender Diane Carl, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Small is accused of stabbing Jinks, 46, to death on March 7, 2014 in the apartment located at 376 Park Avenue in East Orange, according to Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.
After killing Jinks, Small allegedly placed her body in the bathtub, where Jinks remained until March 10, Carter said. Between March 7 and 10, Small allegedly removed the feet and one hand of Jinks in an attempt to dismember her, Carter said.
During the early morning hours of March 10, Sims assisted Small with disposing of Jinks's appendages and her body, Carter said. The body was wrapped in garbage bags and sheets and placed along the side of the building, where it was later discovered, Carter said.
The feet and hand were never recovered, Carter said.
During the Dec. 23 hearing, Sims said that on March 7, he observed Jinks arguing with Small in the residence about "the dirtiness of the apartment." Sims said he lived in the apartment with the two women.
After Small allegedly killed Jinks, Sims said he and Small placed Jinks's body in garbage bags and put them on the side of the building in order to "conceal the evidence." Sims also said the feet and the hand were placed in garbage bags and he took them outside and threw them "in the trash."
According to Sims, Small told him to clean the apartment and he then used bleach to clean the residence.
In pleading guilty, Sims admitted to lying to detectives during the police investigation into Jinks's death.
When detectives asked Sims whether he had moved the body, Sims said he had not, according to Sims. During the hearing, Sims also acknowledged his fingerprints were discovered on the garbage bags and the tape placed on the bags.
"Did you know what you were doing throughout this entire proceeding?" Guido, Sims's attorney, asked him during the hearing.
"I did," Sims replied.
"And you knew it was unlawful what you did?" Guido asked.
"Yes," Sims said.
Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
