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MAYS LANDING, N.J. — A 35-year-old Atlantic City man has pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted murder in connection with a February stabbing at a local market, Atlantic County officials announced Tuesday.
Francisco Bonilla entered the guilty plea before Judge Joseph Levin, J.S.C., and faces a recommended 15-year sentence in New Jersey State Prison under the No Early Release Act. The law requires that Bonilla serve 85% of his sentence—approximately 12 years and 9 months—before becoming eligible for parole.
The charges stem from a February 3, 2024, incident at Cedar Market, located at 101 N. Rhode Island Avenue in Atlantic City. Police responded to the market following a report of a stabbing and discovered that the victim, 39-year-old Emad Wissa, had been stabbed multiple times. Surveillance footage from the store captured the attack, identifying Bonilla as the assailant.
Assistant Prosecutor Marlaina Mutchko is representing the state in the case.
Bonilla’s sentencing is scheduled for April 4, 2025, before Judge Levin in Atlantic County Superior Court.
