'Urgent Plea' For Information In Manalapan Man's Homcide: Prosecutor

FREEHOLD, NJ – In recent months, fatal shootings have claimed the lives of three local men, including a man from Manalapan, and authorities are making an "urgent plea" to the public for information that might help identify and locate suspects.

“One of them had just spent time with his friends. Another had just had dinner
with his mom. A third had just stopped by his parents’ house to say hello and was on his
way over to see his girlfriend,” said Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey of the three victims.

“Each of these men had people who loved them dearly and every reason to expect many more years of happiness and prosperity – and each had it all torn away from them in sudden, violent fashion,” she said.

Ayres Gray, Jr. of Manalapan, just 26, was one of those men.

The fatal shooting of Gray and the other two men, which are not believed to be in any way related, unfolded as follows, the prosecutor said:

• Members of the Neptune Township Police Department, responding to a location off Route 35 South on a report of a shooting shortly before 1:45 a.m. on Monday, July 4 found 26-year-old Ayres Gray, Jr. of Manalapan in a parked vehicle on South Concourse, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Gray was rushed to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where he was pronounced dead approximately one hour later.
• Members of the Asbury Park Police Department responded to a report of gunfire originating from the 1600 block of Sewall Avenue shortly before 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 28. Upon arrival at the scene, officers encountered 33-year-old Kyshon Washington-Walker of Shrewsbury, who had sustained multiple gunshot injuries. He was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where he was pronounced deceased a short while later.
• Members of the Neptune Township Police Department responding to a report of a shooting shortly before 11 p.m. on Saturday, May 14 found 39- year-old Marques Mills of Neptune Township inside a vehicle at the intersection of Hillview Drive and Edgemere Road, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. He was subsequently transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where he was pronounced dead on the morning of Sunday, May 15.

The mothers of all three men recently personally shared with members of the prosecutor's office remembrances of their sons – and their complete devastation over losing them, Linsky said.

• Gray’s mother recalled that he loved his family and friends deeply and unconditionally.
• Washington-Walker, known affectionately as “Butey” by his loved ones, had a smile that lit up any room that he was in, according to his mom, and had just started a new job he loved, working as a state-certified fire inspector.
• Mills’s mother expressed deep pride at how her son had transformed his life and his body through physical fitness, becoming both a certified personal trainer and an entrepreneur designing fitness apparel.

“These families, each of which will never quite be the same, deserve justice for the loss of their loved ones. It is an absolute certainty that there are individuals currently out there in possession of information that would crack each of these cases wide open,” Linskey said.

“To them we would say this: please think about these grieving mothers and do the right thing. Contact our detectives, tell them what you know, and help these families.”

• Anyone with information about the fatal shooting of Ayres Gray, Jr. is urged to contact prosecutor's office Det. Daniel Newman at 800-533-7443 or Neptune Township Police Det. Carrie Bartlett at 732-988-8000.
• Anyone with information about the fatal shooting of Kyshon Washington-Walker is urged to contact prosecutor's office Det. Matthew Delgado at 800-533-7443 or Asbury Park Police Department Det. Anthony Houlis at 732-774-1300.
• Anyone with information about the fatal shooting of Marques Mills is urged to contact prosecutor's office Det. Matthew Delgado at 800-533-7443 or Neptune Township Police Department Det. Robert Hagerman at 732-988-8000.

Anyone who feels the need to remain anonymous, but has information about this or any crime can submit a tip to the Monmouth County Crime Stoppers by calling their confidential telephone tipline at 1-800-671-4400; by downloading and using the free P3 Tips mobile app (available on iOS and Android – https://www.p3tips.com/1182), by calling 800-671-4400, or by going to the website at www.monmouthcountycrimestoppers.com.