A third man has now been criminally charged in connection with the shooting death of a 20-year-old Bradley Beach man in 2016, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said.
Stephon Keys, 31, of Neptune is 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 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 Wed., Dec. 20, 2023 in connection with the murder of Andre Thorne.
On Mon., Feb. 8, 2016 at approximately 8:18 p.m., members of the Neptune Police Department responded to the 1300 block of Seventh Avenue for 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 would later be pronounced deceased. 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 the shooting of Andre Thorne, 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 their 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
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.
