Trio Indicted In Christmastime Beating Death Of Lakewood Man: Prosecutor

Lakewood, NJ — A trio of Sussex County residents have been indicted in connection with the Christmastime 2015 murder of a Lakewood man, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced Wednesday.

Jesus Roman, 25, and Carlos E. Lagunes, 24, were indicted Tuesday by an Ocean County grand jury on charges of murder, felony murder, second-degree burglary and first-degree robbery, while Evelyn Rodriguez, 47, was indicted on a second-degree charge of hindering apprehension, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the prosecutor's office.

The indictments stem from the beating death of Miguel Rivera, 45, of Lakewood, Della Fave said. Rivera’s body was found at his Laguna Lane home on Christmas Eve by Lakewood police officers who had gone to his residence as part of a well-being check, Della Fave said. Police had received a call from Rivera's family reporting that they had not heard from him for several days, he said.

When officers entered the home at around 8 p.m. on Dec. 24, they found Rivera lying face down in the doorway area of his bedroom, Della Fave said. He appeared to have suffered trauma to his head, he said.

Della Fave said the joint investigation by the Major Crimes Unit of the prosecutor’s office and Lakewood Township Police developed information implicating Roman and Lagunes in the murder. Rivera was known to Roman and Rodriguez, he said.

Lagunes was arrested Jan. 4 at a Sussex pizzeria by New Jersey State troopers, and Roman was arrested a short time later at his home on Church Street in Sussex by Detective John Murphy, from the prosecutor's office Major Crimes Unit, and Lakewood Patrolman Chase Messer, Della Fave said.

Rodriguez, who is Roman's mother, was arrested Dec. 29 and charged with hindering apprehension, he said. Authorities have not said what Rodriguez did to attempt to disrupt the investigation, but Della Fave said the joint investigation by the Major Crimes Unit and Lakewood police overcame the attempts and developed evidence implicating the two Sussex County men in the homicide.

Roman and Lagunes remain at the Ocean County Jail in lieu of $1 million cash-only bail as set by Superior Court Judge Wendel Daniels. Rodriguez is being held in lieu of $250,000, with a 10 percent option, Della Fave said.

Senior Assistant Prosecutor Christine Lento is the prosecuting attorney. The lead investigators in the case are OCPO Major Crimes Unit Det. Ray Gardner and Lakewood Police Ptl. Mike Mooney. The Ocean County Sheriff’s Department CSI processed the crime scene and provided evidence collection and preservation throughout the murder investigation, Della Fave said.

Photos via Ocean County Corrections Department