Robert Hayes, 20, was found beaten and naked in Newark in July 2015. He later died of his injuries.
NEWARK -- Three men who have admitted to their involvement in the beating death of a New Jersey City University student last summer are expected to be sentenced Thursday in state Superior Court.
Robert Hayes, a 20-year-old New Jersey City University student was found unresponsive, beaten and naked in Newark's North Ward on July 9, 2015. He was pronounced dead at University Hospital later that day. (File photo)Eric Santiago, Edgardo Mendez and Jonathan Tejada were indicted in January on murder charges in connection with the death of 20-year-old Robert Hayes.
All three are expected to appear before Judge Ronald Wigler in Newark for sentencing on charges of manslaughter and aggravated assault.
A passerby found Hayes unresponsive, beaten and naked on July 9, 2015 near the intersection of Highland Avenue and Verona Avenue in Newark.
Hayes, of Newark, was pronounced dead later that day at University Hospital.
Tejada was arrested later that month, and Mendez was arrested in September 2015. Santiago wasn't arrested until December, when he was captured in Florida and extradited back to New Jersey.
On July 22, just over a year after Hayes' death, Santiago and Tejada both pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Mendez pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of aggravated assault, according to court records.
Prosecutors have said Hayes knew both Santiago and Tejada, and that the events leading to his death began with a fight between the three. Santiago and Tejada later returned with Mendez and attacked Hayes, who sustained fatal injuries, prosecutors said.
Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.