Ax, Saw Found At Scene Of Christmas Eve Murder: 5 Must-Read NJ Stories

Good evening, New Jersey Patch readers! We've assembled some of the most share-worthy stories from the state for today, just for you.

Here are the top five stories from New Jersey:

1. A man involved in a dispute in Bergen County got rid of his gun by handing it off to a parishioner at a church food drive, reports say. (Read more on Patch.)

2. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said a Philadelphia news helicopter was traveling at a "very high speed" when it crashed in Wharton State Forest last week, killing the two men on board. Authorities are still untangling the details of why the 6ABC helicopter crashed on its way back from shooting footage of Christmas lights. (Read more on Patch.)

3. Another period of rainy weather is in store for the Garden State this week, forecasters said. The heaviest rain is anticipated to arrive late Tuesday into Wednesday, and could bring another inch or more of precipitation across the state. (Read more on Patch.)

4. Officials charged a 31-year-old South Jersey man with choking another man to death over the holiday weekend. Police found the dead body of Pennsauken resident Bradley Niesen, also 31, on Dec. 23. (Read more on Patch.)

5. A Morris County man charged with killing his father on Christmas Eve used both an axe and a battery-powered saw in the killing, according to the latest information. Kyle Meyer, 33, has been charged with murder and weapons violations. (Read more on Patch.)