An Ocean County man has been indicted on a murder charge in connection with the killing of his wife and leaving her body on the side of the road, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced on Tuesday.

Jeremy B. Cruz, 51, of Forked River, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with death of his wife, 51-year-old Dawn C. Cruz.

The case background …

At about 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022, a woman who appeared to have sustained severe injuries was found by a concerned motorist at the intersection of Asbury and Colonial Avenues in the Ocean Township.

Ocean Township police attended to the victim, later identified as Dawn Cruz, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

A short while later, Jeremy Cruz turned himself in to authorities at the Berkeley Township Police Department in Ocean County. A joint investigation by members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean Township Police Department, Asbury Park Police Department, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, and Berkeley Township Police Department ultimately led to the arrest and charging of Cruz.

— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office

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