Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey D.Soriano, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives Timothy Fitzgerald and Franklin Township Chief of Police Lawrence Roberts announce that detectives have arrested and charged Winston Wilson Jr. aka “Jesus”, age 24, Bower Street, Linden, New Jersey for the attempted murder of an 18 year old Franklin Township female.
Prosecutor Soriano states that on Saturday, April 26, 2014 at
approximately 6:29 a.m., Franklin Township Police responded to a
Vanderbilt Avenue residence on a report of a female suffering from head
trauma. Responding officers located the 18 year old female outside of the
residence.
The victim was suffering from a significant head injury and
lacerations/stab wounds to her arms and upper torso. The officers and
medical personnel immediately performed life saving measures. Officers
were able to ascertain that the victim lived nearby. Additional Franklin
officers entered the victim’s residence and conducted a security search for
any additional victims or suspects.
In the victim’s bedroom, there were obvious signs of a physical altercation, and the residence was secured as a crime scene. No additional individuals were located within the residence.
The victim was transported to an area trauma center with life threatening
injuries and underwent emergency surgery where she remains in critical condition.
Prosecutor Soriano states that detectives from the Franklin
Township Police Department as well as detectives from the Somerset
County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Crime Scene
Investigations and Forensics Unit responded to the residence to conduct the
investigation.
The investigation has revealed that, while the victim was
home alone at the time of the assault, other individuals were present in the
residence earlier that evening.
A family vehicle that was parked at the residence could not be accounted for by the family, and its whereabouts were unknown at the time of the initial investigation.
Prosecutor Soriano stated that, since the incident, detectives have
worked tirelessly around the clock following any and all investigative leads.
Detectives subsequently released the description of the vehicle as a 2009
black 4 door Mazda 6 bearing New Jersey Registration YHX-85W to the
public in hopes of locating same.
With the assistance of the New Jersey and
New York Media, detectives subsequently received a lead directing them to
the location of the vehicle. On Monday, April 28, 2014 at approximately
1:00 a.m. and with the assistance of the Edison Police Department, the stolen
vehicle was recovered parked and unoccupied behind Building 6 of the
Rivendell Apartments, in Edison, New Jersey.
Prosecutor Soriano stated that detectives through investigative means
were able to develop a suspect involved in the assault which subsequently
led detectives back to the area of Building 6 of the Rivendell Apartments.
Last evening, detectives established surveillance of Building 6, and, at
approximately 10:50 p.m., detectives proceeded to an apartment within
Building 6 and made contact with defendant Winston Wilson Jr., aka
“Jesus”. Defendant Wilson was subsequently placed under arrest without
incident and transported to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office located
in Somerville, New Jersey.
Prosecutor Soriano stated that detectives have not released a motive
for the assault but are advising that the incident was isolated and the victim
was an intended target. The investigation also revealed that defendant
Wilson and the victim knew each other.
The investigation remains active, and detectives are urging anyone with information pertaining to this incident to come forward and provide same to the law enforcement agencies Defendant Wilson was charged with Attempted Murder, 1st Degree, 2cts. of Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful
Degree and Unlawful Possession of a Handgun, 2nd degree.
Defendant Wilson was lodged at the Somerset County Jail with bail to be set.
The investigation and arrest was a collaborative effort between
the Franklin Township Police Department and the Somerset County
Prosecutor’s Office, with assistance from the Edison Police Department and
Special Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Prosecutor Soriano, Chief Fitzgerald and Chief Roberts request
anyone with information regarding the assault or the vehicle’s location to
contact the Franklin Township Police Department at (732) 873-2300, the
Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at (908) 231-7100,
or the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477)
or online at www.888577tips.org or www.scpo.net and click on either
“Crime Stoppers” or “TIPS HOTLINE”. All Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.
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