Carteret Man Pleads Not Guilty In Father-In-Law's Murder

CARTERET, NJ — The Carteret man accused of shooting his father to death pleaded not guilty at his first court appearance Wednesday.

Police say Doug Rodriguez, 32, (pictured above) shot his father-in-law, Roberto Laureano, 49, to death on Friday, Dec. 28 outside the Carteret Knights of Columbus hall on High Street. The two men had been arguing.

The daughter of the victim reportedly burst into tears in Middlesex County court on Wednesday when Rodriguez was led into the courtroom in handcuffs, MyCentralJersey reported. It is unknown if she is also the wife of the accused killer.

She was accompanied at the court hearing by her brother and she listened to the proceedings through a Spanish interpreter.

A viewing will be held for Laureano Thursday, Jan. 3 from 5-9 p.m. at Chubenko Funeral Home, 625 Port Reading Avenue in the Port Reading section of Woodbridge Twp.

A following cremation will be private. Laureano lived in Carteret.

As Patch reported, Carteret police received a 911 call about gunshots fired outside the Knights of Columbus hall just past 11 p.m. last Friday. When they got there, they found Laureano lying outside the building with multiple gunshot wounds. He died on his way to the hospital.

Rodriguez was briefly hiding out for about 24 hours after the murder, but turned himself in Saturday night to the authorities.

Laureano is survived by his wife, Maria Laureano; mother, Litza Dominguez; children, Jessica, Jaime, Ruth Maria and Jeiskaly Laureano; granddaughter, Jailiana Laureano; siblings, Jose Dominguez, Darlene Laureano, Henry Laureano, Litza Vazquez and Mildred Vazquez.

Prior Patch reporting: Carteret Man Arrested In Murder Of Father In Law: Cops

Photo of Doug Rodriguez provided by the Middlesex County Prosecutor