Tax Board Rejects Curley’s Call To Suspend Assessment Program

Prosecutor Mum On Whether He Will Investigate Anonymous Allegations

Freeholder John P. Curley

The Monmouth County Board of Taxation voted unanimously on Friday to reject Freeholder John Curley’s call that they suspend their new method of assessing values on properties in the county for property tax purposes.

Curley’s call to suspend the program came last week after he said received an anonymous letter from a group of realtors, appraisers, tax assessors and former tax assessors alleging that the program, “Tax Assessment Demonstration Program,” is not being implemented in accordance with the law that created it and implying that Matthew Clark, the Tax Board Administrator, has inappropriate dealings with the program vendors.

Curley referred the anonymous letter to Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni, declaring in his own letter to the prosecutor that it is “omnipotent (sic) that all government business be conducted with full transparency, ethical and legal standards.”   Curley also wrote Tax Board President James Stuart to request the tax assessment program be suspended while Gramiccioni investigates.  He then released the anonymous letter and his letters to Gramiccioni and Stuart to the Asbury Park Press.

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Update on deadly car crash on Route 18, Colts Neck

Two people are dead and a third is hospitalized as a result of a commercial line striping truck overturning into the median of Route 18 in Colts Neck this morning, according to Charles Webster, spokesperson for the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

The incident occurred north the northbound interchange of Route 34 and the south of the County Road 537 interchange.

The three victims were ejected from the vehicle they were traveling in.  Two were pronounced dead at the scene at 8:30 a.m. and 8:35 a.m. The third victim, a male, was transported to an area hospital.  His condition is unknown.

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Police investigate report of barricaded subject inside Atlantic Highlands condo

ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS — Authorities investigated a reported barricaded subject inside a residence on King James Lane Tuesday night, police said. Chief Jerry Vasto said police responded to the residence after receiving a report of a possible barricaded subject with a weapon. Police had the entrance to King James Court condominium complex closed off for several hours… Read the rest of this entry »

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22 year old man shot dead in Aberdeen

A twenty two year old Old Bridge man was shot to death last night in the Cliffwood Beach section of Aberdeen Township.

William Henry Karecki’s death was first reported by his father, Ed Karecki, in the Monmouth County News Group on facebook.

Ed Karecki told The Asbury Park Press that “Billy” was shot nine times in his Ford Explorer in a parking lot off Ocean Boulevard, less than a mile from his home.

Charles Webster, spokesperson for the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, said that the Aberdeen Police Department responded to a 911 call at 9:44 p.m. on Sunday which reported a young deceased male in a parking lot near 2 Ocean Boulevard. Upon arrival patrols located and identified Billy Karecki who was obviously deceased.

No arrests have been made. The Prosecutor’s Office and the Aberdeeen Police Department are investigating.

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Neptune Man In Critical Condition After Home Invasion Shooting

300 Monmouth Ave, Neptune

A Neptune Township man is in critical condition this afternoon after being shot during an invasion of his Monmouth Ave home after 3 am this morning, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Neptune police responded to a 911 call at 3:35 a.m., reporting a home invasion with shots fired at 300 Monmouth Avenue, in the township. Police arrived and quickly confirmed the single family residence had been forcibly entered and that shots had been fired within the residence. Inside the residence police located a male victim who had been shot. The victim was taken to a local hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

A joint investigation was launched by the Neptune Township Police Department and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office. No arrests have been made, and the incident remains under investigation.

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Long Branch Fire Victims Suffered Gunshot Wounds

photo via facebook

The four bodies recovered from the two alarm fire in Long Branch on Tuesday each suffered gunshot wounds, according to a statement released this morning by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

While it appears that Lyndon “Shane” Beharry, 35, shot his sons Brandon Beharry, 7, and Brian Beharry, 4, and their mother, Amanda Morris, 29, before setting the fire and shooting himself, the investigation is ongoing and the cause of the mother and boys’ death has yet to be official determined by the Middlesex County Coroner’s Office*.  Ms. Morris and her sons’ death have been ruled homicides.   Shane Beharry’s death was the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Long Branch police and firefighters responded to multiple 911 calls at 11:48 p.m. reporting a fire at 245 Joline Avenue in the city. Once on scene, Long Branch fire officials elevated the fire to a two-alarm fire and requested assistance from additional fire companies from West Long Branch, Sea Bright, Oakhurst, Oceanport and Eatontown.

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Colts Neck Teen Pleads Guilty To Attempted Murder and Carjacking

Brennan Doyle

Brennan Doyle, 18, of Colts Neck pleaded guilty on Thursday in Monmouth County Superior Court to one count each of Attempted Murder and Carjacking, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

In the early morning, 12:30 a.m., of Sunday July 8, 2013, Doyle, then 16, forced himself into the Bray Street home of a then 41 year old woman.  He stabbed her repeatedly, took her car keys and fled the scene with her vehicle.  The car was found later that day at the Strathmore Shopping Plaza in Aberdeen.

The victim was treated at an area hospital and discharged several days after the attack.

Doyle admitted to Judge Francis J. Vernoia today that he repeatedly stabbed the victim and fled the scene with her car.  As a result of the plea agreement, Doyle faces a sentence of between 14 and 15 years in State Prison subject the the No Early Release Act which requires that at least 85% of the sentence be served before he can be released on parole. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Vernoia on October 29.

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Asbury Park Shooter Had Two Victims, Additional Charges Filed

The investigation into the shooting in Asbury Park last night has revealed the existence of a second victim, according to Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Elijah “Streets” Graham, 27, of Fairview, North Carolina, was arrested at 4 a.m. this morning and charged with one count of Attempted Murder. Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Investigators and the Asbury Park Police Department discovered a 24 year old Neptune Township man had been shot in the back when they responded to a “shots fired call” last night at 10:01.  The 24 year old victim was treated and released from Jersey Shore Medical Center.

During the course of the investigation today it was discovered that a 35 year old Neptune Township man had also been shot by Graham. The 35 year old victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

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North Carolina Man Charged In Asbury Park Shooting

Elijah “Streets” Graham, 27, of Fairview, North Carolina was arrested and charged with Attempted Murder this morning for a shooting that occurred in Asbury Park last night, according to a statement from Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Asbury Park police responded to a 911 call at 10:01 p.m. Monday night on the report of shots fired in the 1500 block of Summerfield Avenue. After police arrived on the scene, the victim, a 24-year-old Neptune Township man, was located at 1311 Washington Avenue with a single gunshot wound to his back.  He was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune Township, where he was treated and released.

Investigators from Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Asbury Park Police Department determined the victim was shot inside a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu parked along Summerfield Avenue.

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Investigators Closing In On Red Bank Murderer

Significant Developments in 2009 Murder of Jonelle Melton

$10,000 reward still available

Jonelle Melton

(FREEHOLD) Investigators are closing in on the person responsible for the brutal 2009 murder of Jonelle Melton, a beloved Red Bank teacher who was found beaten to death inside her West Sylvania Avenue apartment. Monmouth County CrimeStoppers wants to make sure the public is aware a chance still remains for anyone with information about the case to come forward and possibly collect the $10,000 in reward money being offered, announced Kevin J. Burke, Jr., Chairman of CrimeStoppers of Monmouth County.

“Our Office has worked tirelessly to solve this vicious crime and have recently developed new leads that make us confident that those responsible for this senseless crime will be brought to justice. We believe that there are people who have information about this murder who have not yet come forward.  Jonelle Melton deserves justice and those who knew and loved her deserve answers.” said Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

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