Attempted murder charges against a Nutley NJ man are likely to be upgraded to murder charges after the victim died.
The fatal incident occurred at a Belleville NJ residence. According to law enforcement, the 25-year-old suspect entered the victim’s home and assaulted him.
A short time later, the 85-year-old victim was rushed to University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey. Unfortunately, doctors were unable to save him; he was pronounced dead at the medical facility two weeks later.
The Essex County Medical Examiner’s Office subsequently conducted an investigation and autopsy. Medical examiners eventually came to the conclusion that the victim died as a result of blunt force trauma sustained in the alleged attack.
Belleville NJ police later identified and located the suspect in the case. He was placed under arrest and charged with a number of criminal offenses, including attempted murder, kidnapping, and burglary.
Now that the victim has died and his death has been connected to the alleged assault, it is likely that the attempted murder charges will be upgraded to murder charges.
Depending upon the exact charges, the suspect could be looking at severe penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3, murder is classified as a first degree felony. A conviction for first degree murder is potentially punishable by a life sentence, with a minimum mandatory term of incarceration of 30 years in NJ State Prison.
Authorities are currently investigating the case. The Belleville Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Task Force are collaborating on the investigation.
For more information about this case, read NJ.com article entitled “85-Year-Old Belleville Man Succumbs to Home Invasion Assault Injuries, Authorities Say.”
