Asbury Park Teen Sentenced For Deadly Rape, Torture Of Pet Cat: Prosecutors Asbury Park Teen Sentenced For Deadly Rape, Torture Of Pet Cat: Prosecutors
Asbury Park Teen Sentenced For Deadly Rape, Torture Of Pet Cat: Prosecutors An Asbury Park teen will spend several years in prison after admitting to raping, torturing, and killing his pet cat, authorities said. Bani Mezquititla, 19, was sentenced on Thursday, June 13 to five years in state prison, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release. He pleaded guilty to two third-degree animal cruelty charges in April. Investigators said Mezquititla seriously injured the cat named Ellie after performing "sexual acts" on it, then killed it after restraining and torturing it. "It is virtually impossible to conceive of an inst…
2 Fatal Crashes On Same Day In Monroe Township: Police 2 Fatal Crashes On Same Day In Monroe Township: Police
2 Fatal Crashes On Same Day In Monroe Township: Police There were two fatal crashes in one day in Monroe Township, authorities said. A driver died after crashing on Wednesday, June 12 after a medical emergency, Monroe police said. The crash occurred on Applegarth Road (Route 619) in Monroe at about 10 a.m., police said. Police didn’t identify the driver pending notification of next of kin. Just after midnight Wednesday, a 42-year-old pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle on Buckelew Avenue near Grace Hill Road, police said. The pedestrian also had not been identified.
Man Killed After Wounding Two Officers In NJ Banquet Hall Shootout Came Out Firing, AG Says Man Killed After Wounding Two Officers In NJ Banquet Hall Shootout Came Out Firing, AG Says
Man Killed After Wounding Two Officers In NJ Banquet Hall Shootout Came Out Firing, AG Says UPDATE: A man wanted for questioning in a New York City shooting pulled out a gun in the lobby of a Woodbridge hotel and was killed in a shootout with police, authorities said. A Woodbridge police officer and a New York City homicide detective were wounded in the exchange, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said. The township officer was shot in the back and the city detective in the foot, the NYPD said. Both have already been released from the hospital following treatment, the attorney general said on Friday, June 14. Karl Gregory, 46, was pronounced dead at the scene of the ea…
Firefighters Battle 3-Alarm Blaze In Middlesex Borough Firefighters Battle 3-Alarm Blaze In Middlesex Borough
3-Alarm Fire Destroys 2 Homes In Middlesex Two homes were heavily damaged by a three-alarm fire that started in a garage in Middlesex Borough, authorities said. On Friday, June 14, at 2:40 a.m., the Middlesex Borough Police Department responded to a report of a structure fire at 832 West Second Street.  Officers arrived on scene and confirmed that a garage was fully engulfed in flames. Prior to the fire spreading to 836 West Second Street, officers were able to safely evacuate the occupants of both residences, Middlesex police said. The Middlesex Fire Department, assisted by firefighters and equipment …
East Brunswick Man, 40, Accused Of Stabbing Parent Arrested At Menlo Park Mall, Police Say East Brunswick Man, 40, Accused Of Stabbing Parent Arrested At Menlo Park Mall, Police Say
Heng Shao Arrested In East Brunswick Stabbing A 40-year-old East Brunswick man has been arrested in connection with stabbing one of his parents, authorities said. Heng Shao is believed to have stabbed one of his parents in a home on Buttonwood Drive in East Brunswick, local police said. East Brunswick police were notified by Sayreville police around 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 12. The victim subsequently fled to safety at a home on Winding Woods Drive in Sayreville before being taken to a local area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Officers responded to the home on Buttonwood Drive in an attempt to loca…
Beaked Whale Found Dead On Jersey Shore Beach, Second Discovered In 2024 Beaked Whale Found Dead On Jersey Shore Beach, Second Discovered In 2024
Beaked Whale Found Dead On Jersey Shore Beach, Second Discovered In 2024 A rare type of whale was found dead on a beach in Monmouth County, marine biologists said. A beaked whale on the beach near St. Clair Avenue in Spring Lake was reported to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center at around 6 a.m. on Thursday, June 13, the group said in a Facebook post. A volunteer responded to document the 13-foot-2 whale, which was "in moderately decomposed condition." A Spring Lake public works crew transported the whale to the department's yard to be examined by MMSC staff. The carcass was then transported to the state's Animal Health Diagnostic Lab in Trenton for a …
PA Man Extradited For 2023 Armed Robbery Of North Plainfield Gas Station PA Man Extradited For 2023 Armed Robbery Of North Plainfield Gas Station
PA Man Extradited For 2023 Armed Robbery Of North Plainfield Gas Station A 27-year-old Allentown, PA man was arrested and charged with a 2023 armed robbery in North Plainfield, NJ, authorities said. On Sept. 30, 2023, at 4:50 a.m., police in North Plainfield responded to a gas station at Route 22 for an armed robbery, Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald said. The gas station attendant told police that an unknown male, later identified as Elijah Nunnally, pulled into the station and asked him to fill the tank, authorities said.  Nunnally then got out of his vehicle and pointed a handgun at the attendant, demanding money, before leaving with the ca…
Shot Fired By NJ Homeowner Scares Off Overnight Car Thieves Shot Fired By NJ Homeowner Scares Off Overnight Car Thieves
Shot Fired By NJ Homeowner Scares Off Overnight Car Thieves An armed Clifton homeowner confronted and apparently scared off a group of vehicle thieves by firing a gunshot into the air, authorities said. At least four bandits approached the Robin Hood Road home in the city's Montclair Heights section shortly after 3:15 a.m. Thursday, June 13, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said. "Although we can confirm that entry was not made into the home, the details of how the crime unfolded are still under investigation," the lieutenant said. "However, at some point during the incident, an altercation took place between the homeowner and the suspects which result…
Video Shows Arrest Of Out-Of-State Suspect In Deadly Double-Shooting In Carteret (DETAILS) Video Shows Arrest Of Out-Of-State Suspect In Deadly Double-Shooting In Carteret (DETAILS)
Video Shows Arrest Of Out-Of-State Suspect In Deadly Double-Shooting In Carteret (Details) A 19-year-old man from Washington state has been charged in connection with a shooting that left one woman dead and another in critical condition in Carteret, authorities said. Video shared by A.D. Pauro shows Gaurav Gill, of Kent, WA — identified by Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone — being taken into custody Wednesday, June 12 in the yard of a Carteret home, following a shooting that left a 29-year-old woman dead and another critical. Arrest Made in Carteret Double Shooting Carteret, New Jersey - Authorities have made an arrest in connection with a... Posted by A.D. Pauro o…
Man Convicted Of Robbing Jersey Shore 7-Eleven With Shotgun, Prosecutors Say Man Convicted Of Robbing Jersey Shore 7-Eleven With Shotgun, Prosecutors Say
Man Convicted Of Robbing Jersey Shore 7-Eleven With Shotgun, Prosecutors Say A Neptune Township man was convicted of robbing a convenience store with a shotgun, authorities said. A jury found 41-year-old William Herndon guilty on Monday, June 10, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release. Neptune Township police responded to the 7-Eleven on Route 35 South near the intersection at West Lake Avenue just after 1 a.m. on Friday, Mar. 31, 2023. Investigators said a man pulled out a sawed-off shotgun while an employee tried to give change to a customer. The suspect reached over the counter to take money from the cash register before…
Homicide Suspect Killed By Police Officers At Woodbridge Hotel, AG Says Homicide Suspect Killed By Police Officers At Woodbridge Hotel, AG Says
Homicide Suspect Killed By Police Officers At Woodbridge Hotel, AG Says Two police officers are recovering from injuries after being shot overnight at a hotel in Woodbridge while attempting to track down a homicide suspect. The suspect was shot and killed at the scene, according to New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. The two injured officers were from the Woodbridge Police Department and New York City Police Department, Platkin said. More details from the incident were expected to be released later on Thursday, June 13. "This incident is another reminder that our law enforcement officers risk their lives daily to keep our communities safe," Platki…
South Jersey Man, 73, Gets 33 Months In Fed Pen After Philly FBI Finds 45,000 Child Porn Pics South Jersey Man, 73, Gets 33 Months In Fed Pen After Philly FBI Finds 45,000 Child Porn Pics
South Jersey Man, 73, Gets 33 Months In Fed Pen After Philly FBI Finds 45,000 Child Porn Pics 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A 73-year-old South Jersey man must spend more than two years behind bars before he'll be eligible for release for collecting what the FBI said was 45,000 images of child pornography. Robert Giles of Collingswood must serve 85% of a plea-bargained 33-month stretch because there's no parole in the federal prison system. FBI agents reported finding tens of thousands of "videos and images of children being sexually abused" on electronic devices seized during a court-approved search of GIles's home in April 2022, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. Rather than r…
2 Females Shot, 1 Dead In Carteret; Suspect Caught, Prosecutor Says (UPDATED) 2 Females Shot, 1 Dead In Carteret; Suspect Caught, Prosecutor Says (UPDATED)
2 Females Shot, 1 Dead In Carteret; Suspect Caught, Prosecutor Says (Updated) Authorities have released additional information in the double shooting Wednesday, June 12 in Carteret. Two females were found having suffered gunshot wounds on Roosevelt Avenue around 9 a.m., and were airlifted to area hospitals, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Carteret Police Chief Dennis McFadden said. As of 2:30 p.m., one victim had died and the other remains critical, Ciccone and McFadden said. As of 4:20 p.m., a suspect was in custody, the prosecutor said, and there was no longer a threat to the community. Anyone with information is urged to call Detective …
Ex-Convict Struts Through Trenton With Loaded Assault Rifle: Police Ex-Convict Struts Through Trenton With Loaded Assault Rifle: Police
Ex-Convict Struts Through Trenton With Loaded Assault Rifle: Police A 38-year-old ex-convict was arrested with a loaded assault rifle slung over his shoulder, authorities said. Trenton police said they found Joseph Moore walking along the 100 block of Turpin St. with the rifle and a high-capacity magazine containing 50 rounds of ammunition on Monday, June 10 at about 5:20 p.m. He was charged with several weapons offenses. As the detectives were on scene with Moore, Trenton Communications reported they had received several calls for shots fired in the area. Two spent shell casings were recovered. No persons were injured and no property was struc…
Double Carteret Shooting: What We Know Double Carteret Shooting: What We Know
2 Flown In Carteret Shooting Two people were flown to the hospital after being shot in Carteret Wednesday morning, June 12, officials said. The incident happened outside of a Roosevelt Avenue home around 9 a.m., Mayor Dan Reiman said. UPDATE: 2 Females Shot, 1 Dead In Carteret; Suspect Sought, Police Say Carteret Police, mutual aid and other emergency services were on scene as of press time.  Out of an abundance of caution, Minue School located a half-mile away from the incident was locked down, Reiman noted. Further Updates will be provided by the CPD and Middlesex County Prosecutors office as they b…
NJ Man Steals Construction Vehicle, Crashes Multiple Times, Prosecutor Says NJ Man Steals Construction Vehicle, Crashes Multiple Times, Prosecutor Says
NJ Man Steals Construction Vehicle, Crashes Multiple Times, Prosecutor Says A 24-year-old man has been arrested for stealing a construction vehicle and leading a police pursuit in Somerset County on Tuesday, June 4, authorities said. Amr Khodeer, of Somerville, stole a vehicle from Union Street and sped away around 2:15 p.m. on June 4,  Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman Jr., and Bridgewater Township Chief of Police John Mitzak said. Khodeer drove "in a reckless manner," hitting two other cars and a structure in Bridgewater Township, authorities said. One of those driver…
Pedestrian Struck, Killed In Monroe Township Pedestrian Struck, Killed In Monroe Township
Pedestrian Struck, Killed In Monroe Township A 42-year-old pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle in Monroe Township, authorities said. The driver was eastbound on Buckelew Avenue near Grace Hill Road at about 12:05 a.m. Wednesday, June 12 when he struck the man walking in the roadway, Monroe police said. The driver was unable to avoid the pedestrian, police said. The driver and a front-seat passenger were not injured. Monroe Township EMS workers and paramedics from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital treated the victim, but he was later pronounced dead. The name of the victim, who lived in a nearby rest home, was not rel…
Undercover Sting Nabs NJ Creeps Seeking Sex With Kids Online, Prosecutor Says Undercover Sting Nabs NJ Creeps Seeking Sex With Kids Online, Prosecutor Says
Undercover Sting Nabs NJ Creeps Seeking Sex With Kids Online, Prosecutor Says An undercover operation targeted toward people trying to lure children into sexual activity online has led to the arrests of four men, authorities in Middlesex County said. "Operation Cruel Summer" is a multi-agency sting between the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, US Secret Service, Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, and various local police departments. The charges were announced by Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone, who said four men were arrested between June 3 and June 6, 2024. The underage “children” that the perpetrators were speaking with were, in fact, underco…
Woman, 57, Killed In Trenton Crash Woman, 57, Killed In Trenton Crash
Woman, 57, Killed In Trenton Crash A 57-year-old woman was killed and three others were hurt in a crash in Trenton, authorities said. The crash occurred at about 5:45 a.m. on Saturday, June 8 near the intersection of East State and South Broad streets, according to Trenton police. The victim's name had not been released. All the cars' occupants became trapped after the two-car collision, police said.
Metalworker Killed In Forklift Accident In Middlesex: Police Metalworker Killed In Forklift Accident In Middlesex: Police
Metalworker Killed In Forklift Accident In Middlesex: Police A 46-year-old metalworker from Central Jersey was killed in a forklift accident, authorities said. Jimmy Fernando Parrales Mora, of North Plainfield, was killed in the accident at Diamond Brite Metals, 333 Cedar Ave. in Middlesex, according to borough police. The accident occurred at about 7:20 a.m. on Tuesday, June 11.  It was determined that a metal beam fell and struck Parrales Mora while he was working, police said. Parrales Mora was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. OSHA is investigating.
Convict Was Selling LSD, Mushrooms, Pot: Lawrence PD Convict Was Selling LSD, Mushrooms, Pot: Lawrence PD
Convict Was Selling LSD, Mushrooms, Pot: Lawrence PD A 25-year-old convict from Lawrenceville was arrested for multiple weapons and drug offenses, authorities said. On Tuesday, June 11, at approximately 6 a.m., Lawrence Township Police detectives executed a search warrant at a residence along the first block of Woodmont Drive in Lawrenceville. Ahsan Shaikh was charged with a dozen weapons and drug offenses including the manufacture and distribution of LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms and marijuana, police said. Shaikh was being held at the Mercer County Correctional Facility.
ATTEMPTED MURDER: NJ Man Chokes Out Pre-Teen In Attempted Sex Assault: Authorities ATTEMPTED MURDER: NJ Man Chokes Out Pre-Teen In Attempted Sex Assault: Authorities
Attempted Murder: NJ Man Chokes Out Pre-Teen In Attempted Sex Assault: Authorities A 33-year-old Ridgefield man choked a Fairview pre-teen “to the point of unconsciousness” and had removed both his and the incapacitated child's clothes before he was stopped, authorities said. Julio Amaro-Vasquez, who lives on Bergen Boulevard just off Oakdene Avenue, was charged with attempted murder, attempted aggravated sexual assault, aggravated assault, attempted sexual assault by contact and child endangerment. He wasn't the only person arrested in connection with the alleged incident, however. Amaro-Vasquez's girlfriend, Marlin Cervantes Santos, 30, of Fairview, “directed…
Jersey Shore Man Admits To Attacking 70-Year-Old Bicyclist Who Died, Prosecutors Say Jersey Shore Man Admits To Attacking 70-Year-Old Bicyclist Who Died, Prosecutors Say
Jersey Shore Man Admits To Attacking 70-Year-Old Bicyclist Who Died, Prosecutors Say A Seaside Heights man admitted to attacking a bicyclist who died from his injuries two weeks later, authorities said. Anthony Collins, 41, pleaded guilty on Monday, June 10 to manslaughter, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He was charged in the death of 70-year-old Robert May of Seaside Heights. Prosecutors said they're seeking three years in state prison for Collins. "Certain proof problems in this case resulted in the state entering into a plea agreement with a recommended sentence that is below the normal sentencing range for manslaughter," Billhime…
Grenade Explodes Injuring Woman In Mercer County Grenade Explodes Injuring Woman In Mercer County
Grenade Explodes Injuring Woman In Mercer County A 39-year-old woman was injured when a deactivated grenade exploded in Mercer County, authorities said. On Monday, June 10, at approximately 11:40 a.m., Hightstown police were dispatched to the Deerfield/Westerlea Arms Apartment complex rental office on Westerlea Avenue. The woman was suffering from severe stomach pain, police said. Robbinsville EMS arrived, performed an evaluation, and transported the woman to Capital Health-Fuld Campus for non-life-threatening injuries, police said. The New Jersey State Police Bomb Squad, along with Hightstown Fire Department and Hightstown First Aid Sq…
Dad, Motorcyclist Killed In Crash On NJ Turnpike: State Police Dad, Motorcyclist Killed In Crash On NJ Turnpike: State Police
Dad, Motorcyclist Killed In Crash On NJ Turnpike: State Police A 37-year-old Monmouth County motorcyclist was killed in a crash on the New Jersey Turnpike in Newark on Saturday June 8, authorities said. At 2:31 a.m. Ryan Schamlz, a Keyport resident, was opearting a Harley Davidson south on the ramp of the Turnpike by Interchange 14 when he crashed into an international truck hauling a utility trailer that was stopped on the access road at the intersection, Jeffrey Lebron, a spokesman for the New Jersey State Police said. Schmalz suffered fatal injuries, Lebron said. The crash remains under investigation, Lebron said.  I have no words right no…
24 Condos Destroyed By Fire In East Windsor 24 Condos Destroyed By Fire In East Windsor
24 Condos Destroyed By Fire In East Windsor Residents of 24 condominiums in East Windsor were displaced by a fire, authorities said. On Monday, June 10, at approximately 4:30 p.m., East Windsor Township police responded to a reported structure fire at building K of the American Way Condos on Avon Drive.  The first responding police officers observed heavy smoke and flames coming from the second floor on the north end of the structure. Police evacuated all residents from the K building. Firefighters from more than a dozen area fire departments responded.  Each of the 24 condos within the K building sustained fire and/or w…
Mom Of Woman Killed In Trenton Hit-Run Lost 3 Kids In 5-Year Span Mom Of Woman Killed In Trenton Hit-Run Lost 3 Kids In 5-Year Span
Mom Of Woman Killed In Trenton Hit-Run Lost 3 Kids In 5-Year Span Support is on the rise for a Trenton mother who lost three of her four children in a five-year span. Toshawn West first lost her first-born, Nuna, then her second-born, Nyshirah, and now, her third, Shydasia Merrick. Merrick, 26, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver at approximately 4:30 a.m. Saturday, June 1, as previously reported by Daily Voice. More than $2,900 had been raised as of Monday, June 10 on a GoFundMe that West launched for herself. "I have suffered over the years losing two of my other children as well. Mentally, I’m trying to hold myself together and it…
Feds: Trio Who Trafficked Ghost Guns Through North Jersey Sentenced To 4-To-6 Years Feds: Trio Who Trafficked Ghost Guns Through North Jersey Sentenced To 4-To-6 Years
Feds: Trio Who Trafficked Ghost Guns Through North Jersey Sentenced To 4-To-6 Years 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: Three members of a ghost gun trafficking network in Passaic and Hudson counties must spend from four to six years in federal prison before they'll be eligible for release, authorities announced. Ex-con Corey Jenkins Jr., 31, and Savion Clyburn, 21, both of Paterson, and Richard Mullane, 27, of Bayonne, were among the members of the D.I.Y. network that operated largely in both cities, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. They were targeted in an investigation in which the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) worked closely with vari…
UPDATE: NJ Man, 72, Admits Posing As Dead Guy To Collect Social Security, Medicaid For 14 Years UPDATE: NJ Man, 72, Admits Posing As Dead Guy To Collect Social Security, Medicaid For 14 Years
Update: NJ Man, 72, Admits Posing As Dead Guy To Collect Social Security, Medicaid For 14 Years A 72-year-old South Jersey resident admitted that he assumed a dead man's identity to collect more than $200,000 in Social Security payments and Medicaid benefits for 14 years. Dennis Gaudette of Franklinville was 57 years old when U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said he began the long-running con in March 2009. It continued until he was caught last year, the U.S. attorney said. Gaudette collected $43,464 in Social Security Retirement Income Benefits and $85,332.50 in Supplemental Security that he wasn't entitled to, Sellinger said. During the same time period, the state of Ne…
Late-Night Drunken Assault Near Meadowlands Sends One Man To Hospital, Other To Jail Late-Night Drunken Assault Near Meadowlands Sends One Man To Hospital, Other To Jail
Late-Night Drunken Assault Near Meadowlands Sends One Man To Hospital, Other To Jail A drunken man was hospitalized and another jailed for assaulting him at a private industrial garage in Rutherford, authorities said. The 40-year-old victim from Cranford approached an East Rutherford police officer who was fueling his patrol vehicle at the Rutherford DPW garage on Highland Cross -- just off northbound Route 17 near the Meadowlands -- around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, June 8, Police Chief John Russo said.  He was bleeding from a head wound, the chief said. "It was determined he was assaulted by an acquaintance at a private industrial garage where both were at that eveni…
Driver Killed In Piscataway Crash Driver Killed In Piscataway Crash
Driver Killed In Piscataway Crash A driver was killed last week in a crash in Piscataway, authorities said. The crash occurred at 1:40 p.m. on Thursday, June 6 on Mountain Avenue, according to fatal statistics compiled by the New Jersey State Police. Piscataway police were not immediately available for comment. Check back for updates.