Jerome Dennis was born on December 14, 1966, in Newark, New Jersey. He was the seventh child in a family of nine. Jerome grew up in a place called Columbus Homes in Newark. Most of his upbringing was overseen by his mother. From a young age, Jerome had many encounters with law enforcement. These interactions began when he was just 11 years old, but he was never formally charged with any crimes until he was older.

His education did not last long, as Jerome dropped out of school in the seventh grade. After leaving school, he started getting into trouble. His behavior progressed from minor theft to much more serious offenses. At 14, on November 6, 1981, Jerome and his brother William committed a serious crime in downtown Newark. After this crime, instead of trying to hide or escape, they called the police themselves from a payphone, giving their identities.

After they were arrested, Jerome and William admitted to another two serious crimes they had committed the month before. The brothers were charged as adults and faced a trial together. During this trial, their father testified against them as part of the prosecution. Jerome was convicted in December 1981. He was found guilty of several charges, including rape and robbery. The court sentenced him to 30 years in prison but allowed for a possibility of release after serving 10 years.

Jerome Dennis committed several violent crimes after his early release from prison. On December 12, 1991, he attacked a woman named Zelda Bailey, but she survived the incident. Four days later, Dennis killed Robyn Carter in Newark. He raped and strangled her, and her body was found the same day.

On February 15, 1992, he abducted Elizabeth Clenor, a woman returning from a job application at a McDonald's. He raped and bludgeoned her to death, leaving her body in an abandoned house. A few days later, on February 21, Dennis fatally stabbed Stephanie Alston and dumped her body near where Clenor was found. The next day, he attempted to attack Khydijah Harris, but she managed to survive.

On April 10, 1992, Dennis attacked 16-year-old Jamillah Jones, raping and stabbing her before disposing of her body off a pedestrian overpass. Over the following days, authorities discovered the bodies of Jones, Clenor, Alston, and 14-year-old Shakia Hedgespeth. They were all found close to each other on the Garden State Parkway.

After a public investigation, law enforcement connected the murders to Dennis. On April 13, 1992, he was arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including murder. Following his arrest, he initially pleaded innocent but later confessed to the murders. Dennis was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and a psychiatric evaluation was requested.

On February 27, 1993, Dennis pleaded guilty to 13 charges, including five counts of murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 60 years. Dennis is currently incarcerated at New Jersey State Prison, with a future parole eligibility date set for April 10, 2052.