Long Branch Murders Remain A Mystery, Report Says

LONG BRANCH, NJ – A quadruple murder remains a mystery, a report says, nearly a year after it happened.

The report comes nearly a year after a 16-year-old boy allegedly used a semi-automatic rifle to kill his parents, sister and a family friend late on New Year's Eve, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said.

According to The Asbury Park Press:

Thanks to a judge's gag order, details surrounding the deaths have remained a closely guarded secret; none of the officials connected with the case has commented publicly for months. Moreover, because of the age of the accused killer, the public may never learn exactly what transpired in juvenile court, according to a former assistant prosecutor.

The teenager was taken into custody without incident shortly after police arrived at the family home at 635 Wall Street in the city, the prosecutor said.

"It was very quick," Gramiccioni said of the boy's apprehension at the time. "It was uneventful."

Long Branch police and the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office responded to the home after receiving a 911 call reporting shots fired. The call came from someone inside the home, Gramiccioni said during a press conference.

Police arrived on the scene a minute later, after receiving the call, Gramiccioni said.

They found the bodies of Steven Kologi, 44; mother Linda Kologi, 42; sister Brittany Kologi, 18; and family acquaintance, Mary Schultz, 70, of Oakhurst Parkway in Ocean Township.

The boy's grandfather and his brother were not injured.

Police had not been called to the home for any previous incidents, Gramiccioni said.

"This is a real isolated, first-time incident," he said.

The boy was charged with four counts of murder and one count of possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, he said.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call is asked to call Detective Andrea Tozzi, of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office at 800-533-7443, or Detective Michael Verdadiero of the Long Branch Police Department at 732-222-1000.

Photo: Linda and Steven Kologi, courtesy of GoFundMe, a promotional partner of Patch