NJ Man Charged With Double Murder Of Parents Faces Judge After Being Shot By Police

SOMERVILLE, NJ — Charged with the double murder of his parents, a wounded 37-year-old Hillsborough man appeared before Somerset County Superior Court Judge Robert Wilson from his hospital bed Thursday.

Patrick J. Lin, who has been hospitalized at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital since Sept. 25, 2025, with severe injuries after being shot by Hillsborough Township Police.

Lin allegedly tried to stab a Hillsborough Township Police Officer last September when officers had gone to a home on Cornell Trail and found Patrick's parents David Lin, 69, and Jean Lin, 69, dead in two separate bedrooms on the second floor, authorities said.

"He was shot in the head. He was shot in his body, he was shot in his leg. He lost an eye, he lost a leg, he suffered a traumatic brain injury," said Wilson of Lin on Thursday.

His injuries were so severe that Superior Court Judge Haekyoung Suh had previously appointed Attorney Franklin Whittlesey as a guardian to make decisions for Lin.

Lin's recovery has been described as "fluid" by Whittlesey and Lin's defense attorney, Matthew Katzenbach.

As of Thursday, Lin has been able to speak. However, Katzenbach requested a competency hearing of Lin before his first appearance due to his condition.

The state, represented by Assistant Prosecutor Rory Eaton, opposed the motion, citing insufficient record development.

Eaton stated that by denying this competency request would allow for "the opportunity for better development of the record as to the defendant's capacity, but also it accords the opportunity for the defendant to continue to recover so that way he can eventually undergo further proceedings before this court."

Wilson acknowledged Lin's severe injuries but denied the evaluation, emphasizing the need for more evidence.

"I am going to deny the application. I do agree with the state's position. I do believe that there needs to be a little bit more in the record, because the situation is fluid," said Wilson.

The court proceeded with Lynn's first appearance and detention hearing.

Lin faces charges of two counts of first-degree murder(for his parents), one count of first-degree attempted murder(for the Hillsborough Police Officer), and two counts of third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Both Katzenbach and Whittlesey agreed to detention for Lin. A guilty or not guilty plea was not needed at this time, said Wilson.

The case now moves to go before a Somerset County Grand Jury, which consists of 23 citizens, to hear evidence from the state to decide whether to indict Lin on his charges.

A pre-indictment conference is scheduled for April 14.

Lin confirmed, from his hospital bed, to Wilson that he understood everything that was presented at the hearing.

Double Murder

The Affidavit of Probable Cause obtained by Patch details the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Lin's parents and the attempted murder of a Hillsborough police officer.

On Sept. 25, 2025, at 4:12 p.m., Hillsborough Police received a call asking for a welfare check for a resident of a home on Cornell Trail. After being unable to contact the residents, officers eventually went into the home through an unlocked rear sliding door around 6:30 p.m.

As police checked the second floor, Lin came out of his bedroom with a knife in his hand and lunged at a Hillsborough Police Officer, according to the documents.

One officer fired his gun at Lin, who dropped the knife, picked it up, and turned to face another police officer. The officer fired at Lin again, according to the documents.

Police began life-saving measures on Lin for his gunshot injuries before he was taken to an area trauma center, where he was listed in critical condition.

As officers checked the rest of the home, they found Patrick's parents, David and Jean Lin, "in separate bedrooms, both in their beds with their faces mutilated, caved-in, apparently bludgeoned to death," according to information from police.

No one else was found in the house, and there were no signs of a break-in.

The parents, who were "initially unidentifiable," were pronounced dead at the scene and ultimately identified later through their dental records, according to the affidavit. An autopsy determined that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and deemed a homicide.

Authorities also found blood spatter consistent with impact spatter and cast-off patterns found in both bedrooms, police said.

Three baseball bats were found in Lin's bedroom closets, one of which had a presumptive positive result for blood. There was also a crescent-shaped bloodstain on the floor of Lin's bedroom consistent with the tip of a baseball bat, police said.

An investigation afterward found that Lin had planned on fleeing after the murders. Evidence reportedly found Amazon orders for meals ready to eat and two knives. He also reportedly made two withdrawals from a bank totaling $700.

A family vehicle was also reportedly parked "strategically" around the block with newly purchased clothing and another baseball bat.

A notebook found inside Lin's bedroom had a wishlist. Number two on the list was "to kill someone and get away with it," according to the documents.

• Previous Reporting: NJ Man Shot By Cops After Beating Parents To Death Charged With Double Murder, Authorities Say

On Jan. 16, Lin was served with his complaint in a local hospital, where he is currently listed in stable condition and guarded by the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office.

Once Lin is discharged from the hospital, he will be lodged in the Somerset County Jail. Lin will be scheduled for a pending court hearing on this matter as directed by the court.

The officer-involved shooting investigation is being conducted by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.

Anyone with information relating to this incident is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100 or the Hillsborough Police Department at 908-369-4323 or via the STOPit app.

Information can also be provided through Somerset County Communications at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office website at SomersetProsNJ.gov. All anonymous STOPit reports, and tips will be kept confidential.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.