Man Jailed After Fatal Beating With Hammer, Left Victim For Dead In Morris County

A 24-year-old Hudson County man will go to prison for 30 years after beating a 27-year-old acquaintance to death with a hammer in Bergen County, then stuffing the body into the trunk of the victim’s car and abandoning the vehicle in a wooded area of Lincoln Park.

Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp announced Friday that state Superior Court Judge Robert J. Gilson sentenced Carlos Rojas, 24, of North Bergen to 30 years in State Prison in connection with the 2011 killing.

On October 30, Rojas was found guilty by a jury of aggravated manslaughter, a crime of the first degree; kidnapping, a crime of the first degree; disturbing, desecrating human remains, a crime of the second degree; and several other weapons charge.

This prosecution stemmed from an investigation into the death of Esteban Hernandez, who was found beaten to death in the trunk of a car on August 4, 2011 in a wooded area in Lincoln Park. The subsequent investigation would reveal that the victim had been killed in Fairview the previous day, August 3, 2011.

Gilson sentenced the defendant to 30 years in State Prison. The Court imposed a 17 year period of parole ineligibility as to the charge of aggravated manslaughter pursuant to the No Early Release Act.

Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Troiano and Assistant Prosecutor Justin Tellone represented the State during the prosecution of this matter.

Prosecutor Knapp stated, “This was an especially brutal homicide. The defendant has shown no remorse nor contrition for his acts, therefore, this sentence is certainly warranted. Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Troiano and Sergeant Brylinski did an exceptional job and are to be commended.”

Rojas was initially charged with murder after that started when a person walking near Ryerson Road in Lincoln Park flagged down a borough police officer and reported the abandoned vehicle. Police then in the trunk.

Authorities on Thursday identified the victim as Esteban Hernandez-Vazquez and said his last known address was in North Bergen.

Rojas appeared Thursday afternoon before Superior Court Judge David Ironson, who set $1 million cash bail.

A 45-year-old man, Oscar Benedicto-Aleman, lived at the Fairview address where the murder allegedly occurred. Benedicto-Aleman allegedly admitted to driving Rojas’ car to Lincoln Park, while Rojas drove the victim’s vehicle, according to the affidavit, which was signed by Lincoln Park Police Sgt. Michael Hackett.

Benedicto-Aleman told police the victim’s car backed into his driveway on Aug. 3 at about 5 p.m., and Rojas then “walked up to the unsuspecting victim and hit him in the head with a hammer” that he had in his backpack, and then struck him several more times after he fell to the ground, according to the affidavit. Rojas then wrapped the body in a painter’s tarp and put the body in the trunk, the affidavit said. He also covered the victim with motor oil, the affidavit said. No motive was given in the affidavit or during the court proceedings.