Indictments issued in 2014 Long Branch Double Murder

Veronica Roach

Joan Colbert

Brian Farmer, 59, the registered sex offender arrested for the double strangulation murders of his cousin Joan Colbert, 62, and her 10 year old foster daughter Veronica Roach in August of 2014, was indicted on six charges by a Monmouth County Grand Jury on November 30th, according to Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

The grand jury charged Farmer with first degree Murder for causing the death of Colbert and Roach, one count of first degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, one count of second degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child and two counts of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child. The Endangering charges are related to Farmer causing or permitting a child to engage in child pornography, for the manufacture of child pornography and for the possession of child pornography.

A 13 day investigation revealed Farmer was at the home on July 30, 2014, where he was discovered by Colbert taking pornographic photographs of the 10-year-old girl. A confrontation ensued ending with Farmer killing Colbert and the girl. Farmer then fled the scene of his crimes.

Detectives discovered pornographic pictures of the 10-year-old victim on Farmer’s cellular phone prompting the child endangerment charges. Farmer is accused of causing the girl to engage in a prohibited sexual act while simultaneously photographing the girl; photographing the girl while engaged in a prohibited sexual act; engaging in sexual conduct with the child; and possession of child pornography. An autopsy determined both deaths were the result of a homicide, and both victims died as the result of strangulation.

Brian R. Farmer’s mugshot taken August 6, 2014, one week after the murders of Joan Colbert and Veronica Roach, for which he is accused.

Farmer was on probation and subject to the terms on Megan’s for his 1996 conviction when Colbert and Roach were murdered. He checked in with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office on August 6, 2014, one week after the double murder, and had an update mugshot taken for the sex offenders registry. He has been in custody at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution since he was arrested on August 14, 2014. His bail is $2.56 million, cash only.

In 1996 Farmer was convicted of aggravated assault for engaging in sexual penetration of a 15 year old girl while he was armed with a knife. Farmer confined the victim and her mother for three days, keeping them tied up. The victims escaped and Farmer burned down their house, according to the New Jersey State Police Registry of Sex Offenders.

If convicted of both charges of first degree Murder, Farmer faces a New Jersey state prison sentence of Life without the possibility of parole.

Farmer faces a state prison sentence of 10 to 20 years for first degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and faces a state prison sentence of 5 to 10 years on the second degree charge for the same offense. On each of the third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child charges, Farmer faces a state prison sentence of 3 to 5 years.