County law enforcement officials are investigating the death this week of Gerald “Jerry” Scarano, an Asbury Park property owner and a fixture at City Council meetings.
He was found in his Long Branch home on Ocean Boulevard after a friend contacted police. A second man, who lived in the home, was also found dead at the scene.
Police have said there is no threat to the community.
Scarano, a real estate agent who lived many years in Asbury Park before moving to Long Branch, was a familiar face around Asbury Park. A frequent speaker at council meetings he often offered suggestions and compliments to officials and sometimes complaints.
Rita Marano, a close friend for 18 years, said he never missed a day calling her and she saw him almost every day of those 18 years.
“When he didn’t call Tuesday morning and I couldn’t reach him all day, I knew something was wrong,” she said.
She spoke to other friends who also could not reach him. One of the friends finally drove to his home the night of June 12 where she found the front door wide open and all the lights blazing inside the home.
“He was family to me,” Marano said. “His mother died when he was very young and I think I sort of replaced her.. He had so many friends and he touched so many people.”
A longtime friend, city resident Maureen Nevin, described him as a caring person who was always checking on senior residents who often needed a ride.
“He was very community-oriented,” she said. “He really personified Asbury Park in this era of hope and inspiration.”
She said he was also a creative gardener and helped residents design their own gardens.
He had an engineering degree from NJIT.
