FREEHOLD – A Neptune man is facing a murder charge following a Friday night shooting that left one man dead, officials said.
In a press release issued Saturday, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said Michael Westbrook, 41, of Neptune Township, was charged with one count of first-degree murder, along with second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and third-degree hindering his own apprehension, in connection with the death of Amad Jones, 41, formerly of Oceanport.
The Oceanport Police Department received a call at about 9:40 p.m. Friday reporting that someone had possibly been shot in the area of Gosselin Avenue in Fort Monmouth. There, police found Jones in the roadway with “a gunshot wound to his chest.”
Jones died of his injuries.
Shortly afterwards, Westbrook turned himself in at the Neptune Township Police Department headquarters, officials said.
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A joint investigation by members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Oceanport Police Department and Neptune Township Police Department led to Westbrook’s arrest and the pending charges.
He remains in custody pending his first court appearance at a detention hearing, which will take place in Monmouth County Superior Court, according to the prosecutor’s office.
If convicted of murder, Westbrook faces a term of up to life in state prison.
Anyone with information about the shooting is being asked to contact Prosecutor’s Office Detective Kent Thornton at 800-533-7443 or Oceanport Detective William Resnyk at 732-222-6301.
Charles Daye is the metro reporter for Asbury Park and Neptune, with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. Contact him: [email protected] @CharlesDayeAPP