South Carolina man indicted in Edison gas station murder

EDISON – A South Carolina man accused of murdering a gas station convenience store clerk during an armed robbery here last December has been indicted.

Marcus Antonio Wright, 23, was indicted Tuesday on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree felony murder, first-degree armed robbery, and conspiracy to commit armed robbery, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, all second-degree crimes.

Wright, of Beaufort, South Carolina, allegedly killed John Bertram, 38, at the Speedway gas station on Amboy Avenue in the Clara Barton section of the township. Bertram lived in the Fords section of Woodbridge.

Wright is facing life in prison without parole on the first-degree murder charge. He remains in South Carolina awaiting extradition to New Jersey.

Last month, Wright was accused of another murder while in custody in South Carolina when he was charged with killing Matthew Williams at the Lieber Correctional Institute in Dorchester County.

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In September, Olya Quinnam, 22, of Beaufort, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree armed robbery related to the gas station armed robbery here.

Under a plea agreement with the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, Quinnam is set to be sentenced on Nov. 18 to 15 years in state prison and will have to serve 85 percent of her prison term before becoming eligible for parole. 

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The armed robbery took place around 4 a.m. Dec. 20, 2018. Arriving officers found Bertram who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Wright's indictment was handed up following a presentation to a Middlesex County Grand Jury by Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Scott Lamountain and Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Vanessa Craveiro.

The investigation is active and continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Loren Long or Detective Wilfredo Brown of the Edison Police Department at 732-248-7400, or Detective David Abromaitis of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-3300.

Staff Writer Nick Muscavage is an award-winning watchdog reporter whose work spans many topics and has spurred the creation of a state law. Contact him: 908-243-6615; ngmuscavage@gannettnj.com; @nmuscavage.