Prosecutor: Two Young Men Indicted in January Double Homicide of Teens

Two Bayshore men have been indicted on charges stemming from a January double homicide in Neptune Township, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey announced on Thursday.

Gabriel J. Braithwaite, 19, of Keansburg and Jeron D. Dearin, 22, of the Cliffwood section of Aberdeen have both been charged with: two counts of first-degree murder and single counts of first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, two related second-degree weapons offenses, and third-degree hindering apprehension in connection with the deaths of 18-year-old Samore Edwards, of Plainfield, and 19-year-old Isaiah Williams, of New Brunswick.

The case background …

Shortly before 8:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan.19, Neptune Township police responded to the 1300 block of Washington Avenue on a report of a shooting. There, officers found the two victims in a parked vehicle. Edwards was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene; and, Williams was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

An intensive investigation involving members of the Prosecutor’s Office, the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, the Neptune Township Police Department, and the Keansburg Police Department resulted in Braithwaite and Dearin being identified as suspects in the case, and they were taken into custody without incident in early February.

If convicted of the charges against them, both defendants will be subject to terms of up to life in state prison. This case has been assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Matthew Bogner and Stephanie Dugan.

Anyone with any information about this matter is still being urged to contact Prosecutor’s Office Detective Christopher Guy toll-free at 1-800-533-7443 or Neptune Township Police Department Detective Darell Harris at 732-988-8000, Ext. 408.