NJ man charged with killing 5 New Jersey teenagers in 1978 is freed on bail

NJ man accused in teens’ 1978 deaths freed on bail

NEWARK, N.J. — A man charged with murdering five New Jersey teens who disappeared in 1978 has been freed from jail after relatives posted his reduced bail.

Lee Evans, of Irvington, left the Essex County jail Friday evening and had no comment as he got into a pickup truck driven by his son.

Prosecutors say the now-56-year-old Evans and his cousin killed the teens in a dispute over missing drugs. They say they herded them at gunpoint into a building and set it on fire.

Bail was set at $5 million but was lowered to $950,000 after Evans’ relatives put up properties to spring him from jail as he awaits trial.

Evans faces five counts of murder and one count of arson and maintains his innocence. His cousin remains jailed on $5 million bail.