Arrest In Murder Of Brick Man Found Dead In Park: Prosecutor

BRICK, NJ — A Monmouth County man has been arrested in the murder of a Brick Township man who was found dead in Shark River Park on Wednesday, .Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced Saturday evening.

Joseph C. Villani, 20, of Ocean Township, has been charged with first-degree murder, first-degree felony murder, first-degree robbery, second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm in the death of Trupal Patel, 29, of Brick, said Charles Webster, spokesman for the prosecutor's office.

Villani is being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold Township, where he made his first appearance Saturday afternoon. Villani will be held pending a detention hearing that is scheduled for Thursday, March 2, before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge David F. Bauman, Webster said.

Investigators have determined the murder took place in an Ocean Township residence, Webster said. He did not give any indication of Villani's motive or how detectives were able to identify him in connection with the murder.

The charges are a result of a joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Wall Township, Absury Park and Ocean Township police departments after Patel was found dead in Shark River Park on Wednesday. A Monmouth County park ranger who was collecting litter in the area discovered Patel's body along the side of Gully Road, down a slight slope, he said.

Patel had been reported missing to the Asbury Park Police Department by a friend on Feb. 9 and a black Jaguar he had been driving before he disappeared was discovered abandoned on an Asbury Park street on that same day, Webster said.

Despite the arrest, Webster said the investigation into the disappearance and murder of Patel is ongoing.

Anyone with information should contact Detective Pamela Smith of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 800-533-7443, Detective Michael Steitz of the Wall Township Police Department at 732-449-4500 or Detective Steven Walker of the Ocean Township Police Department at 732-531-1800. Anonymous tips can be provided to Monmouth County Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-671-4400 or text “MONMOUTH” and your tip to 274637 (CRIMES).

Gramiccioni credited the combined efforts of the prosecutor’s office and the Wall, Ocean and Asbury Park Police Departments for their efforts over the course of the last several days.

The prosecutor's office said a conviction of first-degree murder or first-degree felony murder carries a sentence of life in prison with a minimum term of 30 years. The robbery charge has a maximum of 20 years in prison. All three charges are subject to the No Early Release Act, Webster said.

Convictions on the firearms charges carry a 10-year maximum term with a minimum period of parole ineligibility of one-third to one-half of any sentence imposed or 42 months, whichever is greater, he said.

The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Christopher J. Decker, Director of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office’s Major Crimes Bureau, Webster said.

Trupal Patel of Brick. Photo provided by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office

Editor's note: This article was originally published Feb. 25; it was updated Feb. 28 to add Villani's age, which was omitted when it was first published.