Brookdale Student Convicted Of Felony Murder In Pot Dealer Death

FREEHOLD, NJ — A Monmouth County woman has been found guilty of felony murder and other charges in the death of a Brick Township man whose body was dumped in a Monmouth County park in 2017, the Monmouth County prosecutor's office announced Wednesday afternoon.

Raquel Garajau, 21, of Tinton Falls, was found guilty by a Monmouth County jury after a trial that nearly two months. Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said she was found guilty on all counts, with felony murder being the most serious charge in the February 2017 death of Trupal Patel, 29, of Brick. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 29 and faces 30 years to life in prison.

Garajau also was convicted of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit theft of marijuana, theft of marijuana, conspiracy to commit theft of cash, theft of cash, conspiracy to possess a weapon for an unlawful purpose, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, tampering with physical evidence, hindering the apprehension of oneself, hindering the apprehension of another (her boyfriend, Joseph Villani) and tampering with a witness, Gramiccioni said.

Garajau was an honor student at Brookdale Community College prior to her arrest in May 2017. Authorities allege she and Villani, 22, of Ocean Township, killed Patel, who was a known marijuana dealer in the area, so they could rob him of marijuana and cash.

Prosecutors presented 35 witnesses, including lay people, law enforcement officials and six experts during the trial, which began July 17. Among the evidence presented was numerous text messages between Garajau and Villani, Gramiccioni said, including messages from Garajau to Villani that said, "You need to clean the bullets," "Take your time bleaching everything. The whole entire door and inside," "Take that bag of stuff out cause I touched his phone. We will throw that stuff in the ocean," and "Babe you need to move that car it’s too important. Like ASAP. People will start noticing he’s not answering."

Also presented at trial was evidence that while Villani was dumping Patel’s body, Garajau told him to "Facetime me please when you are done" and told him "I love you," the prosecutor said.

Villani is scheduled to stand trial separately.

Villani is accused of killing Patel, shooting him on Feb. 6, 2017 in the garage of Villani's Ocean Township home. Patel's body later was dumped at Shark River Park, where it was found Feb. 22 on the downslope of a hill along the side of Gully Road by a Monmouth County park ranger who was picking up litter in the area.
The body was quickly identified as Patel and it was discovered that he had been reported missing to the Asbury Park Police Department by a friend on Feb. 9, 2017. A black 2003 Jaguar that Patel was driving prior to his disappearance was discovered abandoned on an Asbury Park street on that same day.

Ultimately, detectives involved in the investigation determined the incident had occurred Villani’s home. He was arrested on Feb. 25, 2017. Additional investigation led detectives to evidence that Garajau conspired with Villani to commit these crimes and aided him in destroying and concealing evidence in connection with the murder and robbery of Patel, Gramiccioni said.

The charges were a result of a joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean Township, Wall Township, and Asbury Park police departments.

There was significant legal wrangling in the case that led to postponements and a more expansive indictment last November. In May, Garajau rejected a plea agreement that would have resulted in a 10-year prison sentence.

Of the 22 charges in the indictment handed up last November, Superior Court Judge Joseph Oxley threw out seven charges last week including murder and helping to dispose of the body, before the case was turned over to the jury for deliberation, the Asbury Park Press reported.

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Trupal Patel photo provided by Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office