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

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — A 37-year-old Hillsborough man was charged recently with the double murder of his parents in September 2025, said Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald on Wednesday.

Patrick J. Lin was charged on Jan. 16 with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree attempted murder, and two counts of third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Shortly after 4 p.m. on Sept. 25, 2025, Hillsborough Township Police performed a wellness check in a home on Cornell Trail.

• Previous Reporting: Officers Shoot Man Holding Knife, Later Find 2 Dead People At Hillsborough Home

Initially, officers were unable to contact the residents and weren't able to enter the house until almost 6:30 p.m.

Once inside officers found Lin on the second floor of the home armed with a knife, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

Two Hillsborough Township Police Officers fired their duty weapons and hit Lin, said McDonald.

After the shooting, officers immediately began performing life-saving measures on Lin, who was taken to an area trauma center, where he was listed in critical condition.

David Lin, 69, and Jean Lin, 69, Patrick’s parents, husband and wife were found dead within two separate bedrooms on the second floor of the home, authorities said.

The cause of death for both victims was blunt force injuries to the head, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.

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 Line 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.

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 https://SomersetProsNJ.gov. All anonymous STOPit reports, and tips will be kept confidential.

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