A Monmouth County Grand Jury has returned an indictment against an Ocean County man in connection with the killing of his wife and leaving her body on the side of the road in Ocean Township, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said this week.
Jeremy B. Cruz, 51, of Forked River, is charged with first-degree murder in connection with death of 51-year-old Dawn C. Cruz.
At approximately 1:30 a.m. on Sun., Oct. 30, 2022, a woman who appeared to have sustained severe injuries was observed by a concerned motorist at the intersection of Asbury and Colonial Avenues in Ocean Township.
Ocean Township Police Department officers located the victim, later identified as Dawn Cruz, who was pronounced deceased 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.
This case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Caitlin J. Sidley of the Major Crimes Bureau and Carey Huff of the Office’s Trial Unit.
Cruz is represented by Adam S. Mitchell, Esq., of Freehold Township.
