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Tattooed Gunman Charged With Shooting NJ Victim In Face In Tag-Team Assault: Prosecutor Tattooed Gunman Charged With Shooting NJ Victim In Face In Tag-Team Assault: Prosecutor
Tattooed Gunman Charged With Shooting NJ Victim In Face In Tag-Team Assault: Prosecutor A 26-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after shooting another man in his face last month, authorities in Ocean County said. Michael Vulpis, 26, was arrested at his home in Freehold on Wednesday, July 3, in connection with the June 27 incident in Jackson Township, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. The 27-year-old victim and a female were sitting in a parked car outside of a home on Larsen Road when a blue sedan then parked in front of the vehicle, blocking it in, Billhimer said.  Vulpis and another man got out of the blue sedan, approached the ve…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
NJ State Trooper Tried To Pay Girl For Sex, Asked For Sexual Pictures: Prosecutors NJ State Trooper Tried To Pay Girl For Sex, Asked For Sexual Pictures: Prosecutors
NJ State Trooper Tried To Pay Girl For Sex, Asked For Sexual Pictures: Prosecutors A state trooper was accused of trying to pay for sex from someone he believed was a teen girl and asking for sexual pictures, authorities said. Shane Dempsey, 31, of Brick Township, was arrested in Ewing on Monday, July 1, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release. Investigators said Dempsey contacted an undercover detective on the social media app Whisper earlier in 2024.  Prosecutors said Dempsey asked for "sexually explicit images" from the detective, who he thought was a 14-year-old girl. He also said he would pay money for a sex act fro…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Man Sent Child Porn To Undercover Central Jersey Detective, Prosecutors Say Man Sent Child Porn To Undercover Central Jersey Detective, Prosecutors Say
Man Sent Child Porn To Undercover Central Jersey Detective, Prosecutors Say A Passaic man was accused of sending child pornography to an undercover Monmouth County investigator through a social media app, authorities said. Joseph Velazquez, 25, was charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child (distribution of child sexual abuse materials) and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child (possession of child sexual abuse materials). Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago announced the charges in a news release on Friday, June 21. An undercover detective from the county prosecutor's office was monitoring a group chat on the messenger app…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
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…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
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…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Charges Upgraded For Man Whose Navy Vet Dad Died Hours After Fight, Monmouth Prosecutor Says Charges Upgraded For Man Whose Navy Vet Dad Died Hours After Fight, Monmouth Prosecutor Says
Charges Upgraded For Man Whose Navy Vet Dad Died Hours After Fight, Monmouth Prosecutor Says A Middletown man was accused of causing his father's death after assaulting him during a fight, authorities said. Kyle Kiernan, 36, was charged with second-degree reckless manslaughter, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago announced in a news release on Thursday, June 6. His charge was related to the death of his 62-year-old father Lawrence Kiernan. Middletown police responded to a domestic violence report at a home on the 300 block of Pine Street at around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 1. Kyle Kiernan was arrested, charged with simple assault, and brought to the Mo…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Teens Accused Of Killing Asbury Park 21-Year-Old In July 2023 Triple Shooting Teens Accused Of Killing Asbury Park 21-Year-Old In July 2023 Triple Shooting
Teens Accused Of Killing Asbury Park 21-Year-Old In July 2023 Triple Shooting Two teens were accused of killing a man in a triple shooting in Asbury Park nearly a year ago, authorities said. Michael Sally, 19, of Long Branch, and an unidentified boy were facing charges in the shooting that killed 21-year-old Lativity Lyons of Asbury Park. Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago announced their arrests in a news release on Thursday, June 6. Asbury Park police responded to the shooting at the Asbury Park Gardens apartment complex on Atlantic Avenue just after 10:30 p.m. on Monday, July 3, 2023. When officers arrived, they found three men who wer…

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by Chris Spiker
News
Jersey Shore City Cracking Down On 'Pop-Up' Parties, Adding Police Along Beaches Jersey Shore City Cracking Down On 'Pop-Up' Parties, Adding Police Along Beaches
Jersey Shore City Cracking Down On 'Pop-Up' Parties, Adding Police Along Beaches A city in Monmouth County said it's renewing an effort to crack down on unauthorized “pop-up” parties. The mayor and public safety director of Long Branch issued a joint statement on Tuesday, June 4 about a "significant police presence" over the upcoming weekend. The city said a "pop-up" event was advertised on social media that was scheduled for Saturday, June 8. Long Branch police and the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office have identified three promoters who organized the event. "The city will not tolerate these unsanctioned pop-up parties," said Mayor John Pallone. "Our polic…

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by Chris Spiker
Obituaries
NJ Mom Believed Slain By Son Was Longtime ShopRite Employee Turned Realtor NJ Mom Believed Slain By Son Was Longtime ShopRite Employee Turned Realtor
NJ Mom Believed Slain By Son Was Longtime ShopRite Employee Turned Realtor A Howell Township mother who prosecutors said was stabbed to death by her son is being remembered as her family's "heart and soul." Loretta Parody, 61, died on Monday, June 3 and police arrested 25-year-old Robert Parody at the family's home on Porter Road just before 1:30 a.m. Investigators said Robert Parody entered his mother's bedroom and stabbed her in the chest while she was sleeping. Loretta Parody was rushed to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. Robert Parody was charged with first-degree murder and was held at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution to await a…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Reality Bites NJ ‘Real Housewives’ Ex Convicted Of Hiring Mobster To Beat Wife’s New Man Reality Bites NJ ‘Real Housewives’ Ex Convicted Of Hiring Mobster To Beat Wife’s New Man
Reality Bites NJ ‘Real Housewives’ Ex Convicted Of Hiring Mobster To Beat Wife’s New Man 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: Reality bit the ex-husband of “Real Housewives of New Jersey” cast member Dina Manzo when he was convicted Tuesday of getting a mob soldier to throw her new beau a beating. Restaurateur Thomas Manzo, 59, who lives in the affluent Bergen County suburb of Franklin Lakes, rejected a plea deal from federal prosecutors and took his chances with a jury. That didn’t go so good. Jurors in U.S. District Court in Newark convicted Manzo on June 4 of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering, along with conspiracy and falsifying documents during a grand jury investigation. Althou…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Man Stabbed Mother To Death While She Slept In Central Jersey Home, Prosecutors Say Man Stabbed Mother To Death While She Slept In Central Jersey Home, Prosecutors Say
Man Stabbed Mother To Death While She Slept In Central Jersey Home, Prosecutors Say A Howell Township man was accused of stabbing his mother to death in their home, authorities said. Robert Parody, 25, was charged with first-degree murder and a weapons offense, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release. He was accused of killing his 61-year-old mother Loretta Parody on Monday, June 3. Howell police responded to a stabbing report at a home on Porter Road just before 1:30 a.m. Officers quickly found Robert Parody and arrested him. Loretta Parody was rushed to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. Investigators said Robert Parody entered his…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Mom Dies Days After NJ BF's Machete Attack, Charges Upgraded To Murder, Prosecutor Says Mom Dies Days After NJ BF's Machete Attack, Charges Upgraded To Murder, Prosecutor Says
Mom Dies Days After NJ BF's Machete Attack, Charges Upgraded To Murder, Prosecutor Says Charges have been upgraded for a 24-year-old man accused of attacking his girlfriend with a machete, following her death, authorities in Monmouth County said. Alex J. Williams' girlfriend died on Thursday, May 30, a week after she was found suffering serious injuries in the parking lot of the Glen Oaks Apartment Complex, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said. The victim was rushed to a local hospital, where she remained for a week before she died, police said. Police say Williams "repeatedly physically assaulted the victim with a machete, causing the injuries," and was c…

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by Cecilia Levine