Man Found Dead In Franklin Woods Had Been Shot: Police

FRANKLIN, NJ — Authorities have identified the body of a man found in a wooded area in Frankin Township and determined he had been shot multiple times on Sunday night, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael Robertson reported.

The victim of a homicide has been identified as Darren Fordham Jr., 26, of Somerset suffered multiple gunshot wounds, Robertson said.

Franklin Police found the Fordham Jr.'s body in the wooded area off of Phillips Road in Franklin Townshipfollowing a 911 call around 8:23 p.m.

Detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes and Crime Scene Units, the Franklin Township Police Department, and medical investigators from the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office responded to conduct the investigation.

"To maintain the integrity of the investigation detectives will not be releasing the location of the gunshot wounds on the victim," Robertson said. "Based on preliminary facts, the incident does not appear to be a random act of violence. Detectives are attempting to determine motive."

Detectives are asking for the public’s help to get information relating to this homicide. Specifically, detectives are focusing on the time frame of 1 a.m. on Saturday, June 30 within the area of Phillips Road, adjacent to the property line of the Pine Grove School in Franklin Township.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100, or the Franklin Township Police Department at 732-873-5533 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google
Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ.

Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or online at www.888577tips.org or at www.scpo.net and click on either “Crime Stoppers” or “TIPS HOTLINE”. All anonymous Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.

(Image via Renee Schiavone/Patch)

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