Jackson Resident Pleads Guilty In Fatal Shooting Of Manalapan Man

MANALAPAN, NJ – A Jackson resident pleaded guilty last week for his role in the fatal shooting of a Manalapan man in October, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

Gerard A. Grimes Jr., 24, of Jackson, pleaded guilty to first degree aggravated manslaughter and second degree unlawful possession of a firearm in Monmouth Superior Court on Thursday. The Jackson resident admitted shooting five times at the three men who were chasing after him in October of last year. One of the shots struck and killed Manalapan resident Narcisco Rodriguez-Corona.

On Oct. 5, 2019, Manalapan Township police officers responded to a 9:34 p.m. call reporting a fight at 25 Fawn Run, only to receive another call for a confirmed shooting victim minutes later. Rodriguez-Corona, 43, was found at the scene suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick where he was pronounced dead.

A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and Manalapan Township Police Department found that Grimes approached a nearby Manalapan residence armed with a handgun before the shooting. Residents of the house attempted to stop Grimes from entering, resulting in a “brief confrontation outside the home”, according to the Prosecutor’s Office. A second encounter occurred nearby, where Grimes ultimately shot Rodriguez-Corona.

Police attempted a motor vehicle stop of Grimes’ vehicle during a search of the area, but the Jackson man failed to stop. Grimes fled the vehicle thereafter, with co-defendants Zoey S. Monte, 21, and Tyler J. Martucci, 23, also onboard the vehicle. Both were arrested.

Grimes was later found in the backyard of a neighborhood residence and promptly arrested.

The cases of Monte and Martucci, both of Jackson, are still pending.

Monte was indicted on charges of one count of second degree burglary, one count of second degree conspiracy to commit burglary, one count of second degree unlawful possession of a handgun, one count of second degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, one count of fourth degree unlawful possession of a weapon and one count of third degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Martucci was indicted on one count of second degree burglary, one count of second degree conspiracy to commit burglary, one count of second degree unlawful possession of a handgun, one count of second degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, one count of fourth degree unlawful possession of a weapon and one count of third degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Grimes will return for sentencing on Nov. 20. As part of his plea deal, prosecutors will recommend a 12-year sentence in state prison on the aggravated manslaughter charge, subject to provisions of the No Early Release Act (NERA). The provisions would require Grimes to serve 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

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