New Details Released In Piscataway Home Invasion, Sex Assault: Police

PISCATAWAY, NJ — A man broke into a home in Piscataway Thursday afternoon and sexually assaulted a 68-year-old woman who had been napping inside, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said on Friday.

The woman uses a wheelchair. After the sex assault, he tried to kill her by stabbing her with a kitchen knife and a garden hoe, said police.

Justin Surofsky, 26, from Hightstown, pictured above, was also charged with first-degree attempted murder, in addition to two counts of aggravated sex assault, among other charges.

He is accused of breaking into the woman's home at 1:24 p.m. Thursday. Police did not say on which street this occurred. She lives alone.

The woman told police she was taking a nap when she woke up to find Surofsky in her bedroom, holding a knife and a garden hoe. The woman said she began to scream, when he put her head in a pillow and then pulled her pants down and sexually assaulted her, according to an affidavit of the incident provided by the Middlesex County Prosecutor.

She also said he "hit her repeatedly with the garden hoe" and a five-pound weight and grabbed her cell phone, which was on the bedside table.

The woman said she begged the young man not to kill her and that she would give him money. She used her wheelchair to go into a spare bedroom to get money from her wallet. She gave him $1,000 and after he took it, he started to strangle her with a red tie. He also knocked her off her wheelchair, which she became pinned under, according to the affidavit. While she was pinned under the wheelchair, he tried to stab her with the kitchen knife, and still stabbed at her and hit her with the garden hoe.

Eventually the man stopped and left the home, said police. He later told police he "got bored."

It was the woman who called 911. She was taken to a nearby hospital.

Piscataway Police confirmed that another resident in the area reported an attempted home break-in, also Thursday afternoon. The resident said the suspect was dressed in all black, wearing black gloves, and tried to break into his back door. The resident provided a Ring home security camera photo of the man, who matched the same man who attacked the woman.

Surofsky had stolen the woman's iPhone and the detective used the "Find My iPhone" feature to locate that the phone had been used at a nearby Piscataway Wawa. Surveillance footage from the Piscataway Wawa showed he had been there, and was driving a white Nissan Altima. He also was seen throwing the black gloves and white phone away at the Wawa.

Later that same day, Surofsky was arrested in East Windsor without incident.

After he was arrested, he waived his Miranda rights and told police he was "relieved that he was caught because he has been having sexual ideations and stated that he is a sociopath," according to the affidavit. He also admitted to trying to break into other homes that day in Piscataway, and was unsuccessful. He said he found the woman's home and was able to get in through a garage door.

Surofsky was charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated sex assault, first-degree criminal attempted murder, second-degree burglary, third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact, second-degree kidnapping, third-degree criminal restraint, second degree aggravated assault and first-degree robbery.

Surofsky presently is lodged at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center pending the results of a pre-trial detention hearing in Superior Court.

Piscataway Mayor: "This is the neighborhood where I grew up"

Piscataway Mayor Brian Wahler said the violent sexual assault happened in the neighborhood where he grew up.

“That these heinous acts of unspeakable violence were committed anywhere in this world is abhorrent, but it is especially repugnant and shocking to have taken place in this Township,” said Wahler. “This is the neighborhood where I grew up, this is the house across the street from my childhood home, and I am devastated by the barbarity committed against one of our residents.”

“I am extraordinarily grateful for the immediate, collaborative and effective response of our Township Police Department, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and neighbors of the victim whom were all instrumental in the perpetrator being captured within hours,” Wahler continued. “While the legal process will need to work its course, I hope that a conviction is secured swiftly and that the punishment is severe.”

“For the innocent victim, I know that the Township Council and all residents of our community are in like-minded compassion for her well-being and convey our deepest hopes of comfort and support to her and her family."

“I want to thank our police officers for their determination and professionalism," said Piscataway Police Captain Michelle Pilch, chief law enforcement officer for Piscataway Township. "And express my appreciation to our county prosecutors and the neighbors of the victim who came to immediate assistance. Our hope as law enforcement officers is that violent crimes do not happen in our community but we are grateful for any measure of relief that may be provided to the victim and her family by the perpetrator being quickly apprehended.”

The Middlesex County Prosecutor is seeking anyone with information or surveillance footage: Call Detective Morelli of the Piscataway Police Department at (732) 562-2355 or Detective Castro of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3652.