BRIDGETON, NJ – A Trenton man already serving time behind bars was sentenced to life in prison on Friday for the brutal 2019 murder of another inmate at South Woods State Prison, in a case that remained under investigation for years before ending in a bench trial conviction this summer.
Anthony Cole, 40, was handed a life sentence by Superior Court Judge Nikki Arbittier after being found guilty in June of killing fellow inmate Keyon Wade inside a prison cell nearly six years ago. Cole must serve 85% of his sentence — equivalent to 75 years — under New Jersey’s No Early Release Act. The life term will run consecutively to his current prison sentence, which is set to max out in January 2028.
Wade was discovered unresponsive on December 4, 2019, inside his South Woods cell, suffering from severe head and neck trauma. Medical examiners later determined the 40-year-old had been killed by blunt force injuries, including multiple skull fractures and a fractured spine. The death was ruled a homicide.
An investigation by the New Jersey Department of Corrections Special Investigations Division, along with the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, determined that Cole was the only individual with access to Wade’s cell when the injuries were inflicted. Prosecutors argued that Cole’s actions were deliberate and lethal.
The ruling came after a bench trial concluded on June 12, with Judge Arbittier delivering the final verdict. Prosecutor Lindsey Seidel represented the state, while Cole was represented by Nathan Perry and Christine Long.
Cole’s sentencing marks the final chapter in a violent case that shocked prison officials and led to heightened scrutiny over internal safety protocols within the facility.
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Key Points
- Anthony Cole sentenced to life in prison for killing fellow inmate Keyon Wade in 2019
- Wade was found with fatal head and neck injuries inside South Woods State Prison
- Cole’s life sentence will run consecutively to his current term, extending incarceration past 75 years
A violent prison cell killing from 2019 ends with a life sentence for a convicted killer already behind bars.
