2nd man charged with killing Camden council president’s grandson

A second man has been charged with kidnapping and killing the grandson of Camden City Council President Curtis Jenkins Sr., the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office said Tuesday.

Jalen Carr, 22, of Sicklerville, previously had been charged in connection with the theft of a mobile phone that later was used to make a ransom call to the father of Curtis Jenkins III.

Carr was indicted along with Brandon Beverly, 32, of Westville, on charges of felony murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and related weapons offenses.

Beverly, the alleged mastermind of the kidnapping scheme, also was charged with knowing and purposeful murder. Beverly had been the only person charged with killing the 20-year-old Jenkins until Carr was indicted.

Jenkins, who ran a food delivery business, was lured on June 30 to a location in Camden’s Fairview neighborhood for a delivery and then was abducted around 11 p.m.

His kidnappers demanded a ransom of 10 to 15 pounds of marijuana from his father, Curtis Jr., in exchange for his safe return.

The kidnappers then messaged his father an image of Jenkins, bound and blindfolded.

Jenkins was found dead around 10 p.m. July 2 inside a garage in the 1100 block of Liberty Street in Camden. He died of asphyxiation, authorities said.

Beverly was arrested that same day and Carr on July 5. Both are being held at the Camden County Correctional Facility.

Authorities have said that Jenkins and Beverly knew each other, but did not elaborate. A relative of Jenkins recognized Beverly’s voice on the ransom call, court records show.

Efforts to reach the victim’s grandfather Tuesday night were unsuccessful.

An attorney for Carr could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.