Matawan Man Charged With Murder Of His Father Earlier This Year

MATAWAN, NJ — A Matawan man has been arrested and criminally charged with killing his father in the home they shared earlier this year, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey announced Monday.

Kenneth Knapp, Jr., 31, is charged with first-degree murder and second-degree desecration of human remains in connection with the death of Kenneth Knapp Sr., 58. He is facing up to life in prison.

The alleged murder happened in May, but Knapp was taken into custody without incident this past Friday, Aug. 19 in the Belle Mead section of Montgomery Township (Somerset County). He is currently at the Monmouth County Jail.

On Sunday, May 1, members of the Matawan Police Department responded to a request for a welfare check at a home on the 200 block of Matawan Avenue. There, they found the body of Kenneth Knapp Sr. in the basement.

Both the cause and manner of death were initially listed as pending following an autopsy, but the finalized autopsy report issued in July revealed that the cause of death was blunt-force trauma, with the manner of death being homicide.

An investigation done by the county prosecutor and Matawan Police led to Knapp being identified as a suspect.

Anyone with information about this matter is still being asked to contact Detective Joseph Mason of the Matawan Police Department at 732-566-1010 and/or MCPO Detective Brian Migliorisi at 800-533-7443.