Prosecutor: Third Man Charged in 2016 Shooting Murder

A third man has now been charged in connection with the 2016 murder of a 20-year-old man, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced on Friday.

Stephon Keys, 31, of Neptune Township, has been charged with first-degree felony murder, first-degree armed robbery, first-degree attempted murder, second-degree conspiracy to commit robbery, two counts of second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, two counts of second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and two counts of second-degree certain person not to possess a weapon. Keys was served with his charges while already in custody at a New Jersey state prison on separate charges.

Quashon J. McDuffie, 30, of Long Branch, and Knaliek Joshua, 31, were both previously charged on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023 in connection with the murder of the 20-year-old, Andre Thorne.

The case background …

On Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, at 8:18 p.m., Neptune Township police responded to the 1300 block of 7^th Avenue on a report of a shooting. Officers found Andre Thorne in the driver’s seat of a 2002 red Dodge Neon, suffering from a single gunshot wound to the chest. Thorne was rushed to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. It was discovered that Thorne was sitting in the car with two others at the time of the shooting.

Later that same evening, approximately 40 minutes after the 911 calls for Thorne’s shooting, it was discovered that a second shooting incident took place near the 1300 block of Monroe Avenue. While there were no gunshot victims found at that location, police recovered evidence of a shooting and discovered that a car had been struck twice near the 500 block of Myrtle Avenue, which intersects with the 1300 block of Monroe Avenue.

A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Neptune Township Police Department revealed that Keys was responsible for the second shooting incident as well.

This investigation is currently ongoing, and if anyone has any information, they are asked to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Sergeant Keith Finkelstein at (732) 431-7160, ext. 3019 or Neptune Township Detective Carrie Bartlett at (732) 988-8000.

Anyone who feels the need to remain anonymous but has information about a crime can submit a tip to Monmouth County Crime Stoppers by calling the confidential telephone tip-line at 1-800-671-4400, by downloading and using the free P3 Tips mobile app (available on iOS and Android — https://www.p3tips.com/1182), by calling 800-671-4400, or by going to the website at www.monmouthcountycrimestoppers.com.

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