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(FREEHOLD) An Asbury Park man was arrested Thursday and charged in connection with the murder of a 19-year-old Neptune man earlier in the week, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced.
Tyreek Williams, 24, of Asbury Park, is charged with first degree Murder, third degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, and fourth degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, in connection with Monday night’s stabbing death of Prize R. Johnson.
Asbury Park police responded to a 911 call around 9:58 p.m. on Monday Jan. 5, 2015, reporting a person had been stabbed on Ridge Avenue before arriving at the apartment. Johnson was found inside Building 1, Apartment 53, at the Washington Village apartments, 1259 Washington Avenue, where he died from his injuries and was pronounced dead at 10:29 p.m.
The Link News learned that Williams might have committed the murder as revenge for a pervious murder. It is alleged that Williams was a member of a vicious street gang and he killed Johnson who was in a rival gang. Police have not confirmed these claims.
A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Asbury Park Police Department was immediately launched into the incident. Based upon the investigation, police determined Williams encountered the victim on the 400 block of Ridge Avenue where an altercation occurred culminating with the fatal stabbing of Johnson. With the assistance of friends, the victim made his way back to Apartment 53 in Washington Village, where he died from his injuries.
Williams is being held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, Freehold Township, on $1,022,500 with no option to post 10 percent, as set by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Honora O’Brien Kilgallen. It is anticipated Williams will make his initial court appearance at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 9, 2015 before Judge Kilgallen.
If convicted of Murder, Williams faces a minimum sentence of 30 years in a New Jersey state prison without parole and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, subject to the provisions of the “No Early Release Act” (NERA) requiring him to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. He would also be under parole supervision for five years following his release from state prison.
If convicted of Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, he faces a maximum of five years in state prison. If convicted of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, he faces a maximum of 18 months in prison.
Despite the arrest of Williams, police are still encouraging those with information regarding the stabbing death of Prize Johnson to contact them. Anyone with information relating to this investigation should contact Detective Michael Bonanno of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 800-533-7443 or Detective Daniel Kowsaluk of the Asbury Park Police Department at 732-774-1300.
Individuals wishing to provide anonymous information may also call Monmouth County Crime Stoppers at 800-671-4400. Callers to Crime Stoppers remain anonymous and are eligible to receive a cash reward if the information given leads to the arrest and prosecution of a suspect or fugitive.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.
The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Christopher J. Decker, of the Office’s Major Crimes Bureau, Asbury Park Satellite Office.
