Man who admitted to murdering Union woman in 2010 sentenced to 30 years in state prison

UNION — The man who earlier this year admitted to the brutal 2010 murder of Union resident Diane Zaleski has been sentenced to 30 years in state prison without parole, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park announced. Arnell Yearwood, 28, was sentenced this morning before state Superior Court Judge Joseph Donohue, who summarized the long term as necessary “to […]

Authorities are investigating a homicide in Newark; Elizabeth man shot multiple times

NEWARK – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray and Acting Newark Police Director Sheilah Coley announced that Newark Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force are investigating a homicide. Wednesday at approximately 5:35 p.m. Rahmone Boyd, 30, of Elizabeth was shot multiple times in the 100 block of Brunswick Street […]

East Orange woman convicted of falsifying, then stealing medical records

ELIZABETH — A Union County jury has returned guilty verdicts against a former worker at a Berkeley Heights group home who falsified medical records and later stole them after she was fired, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park announced. Joy Ebuzor-Onayemi, 48, of East Orange was convicted of third-degree burglary and fourth-degree falsifying medical records following several hours of […]

Union man indicted for murder, dismemberment of girlfriend

ELIZABETH — A grand jury has returned a nine-count indictment against the Union man charged with killing and dismembering his girlfriend last autumn, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park has announced. Matthew Ballister III, 44, was indicted on charges of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree desecration of human remains, two counts of third-degree hindering apprehension, third-degree […]

Narcotics Search Warrant at Local Business Leads to Multiple Arrests

CRANFORD — Following an undercover investigation by Cranford Police detectives, three local businessmen have been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged illegal narcotics distribution scheme operating out of a local convenience store. The investigation began approximately three months ago when Det. Ryan Greco received information that synthetic marijuana, banned by New Jersey criminal statutes since March 2013, […]

Former Elizabeth School Board president found guilty of stealing from free lunch program by falsifying applications for her children

TRENTON – Acting Attorney General John Hoffman announced that Marie Munn, the former president of the Elizabeth School Board, was convicted at trial yesterday of stealing from the Elizabeth School District’s free lunch program by filing false applications for her own children. The federally funded program offers free and reduced-price lunches for students who otherwise […]

Berkeley Heights man charged with stealing $6 million from employer

UNION COUNTY — A Berkeley Heights man is accused of stealing more than $6 million from his employer during the course of nearly a decade, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park announced. Albert Thomson, 48, was charged with second-degree theft by deception. He turned himself in to authorities late on Thursday, when he was being held on $250,000 […]

Newark man sentenced to 10 years for role in robbery, burglary that led to long chase through 3 towns in Union and Essex counties

UNION COUNTY — An Essex County man has been sentenced to 10 years in state prison for his role in a robbery and burglary that led to a prolonged high-speed car chase through three towns, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park announced. Under the terms of New Jersey’s No Early Release Act, Kendell Grimsley, 42, of Newark must […]

Former transportation head for two Middlesex school districts sentenced to prison for stealing $565,000 from the districts

TRENTON – Acting Attorney General John Hoffman announced that the former Transportation Manager/Supervisor for the Hazlet and Piscataway School Districts was sentenced to prison today for stealing $565,772 from the two districts by authorizing payments to fictitious bus companies for transportation services that were never provided to the districts. Michelle Pumilia, 40, of Union Beach, […]

Missing Elizabeth woman found dead; husband charged with murder

ELIZABETH — An Elizabeth woman who had been missing for three weeks has been found dead, and her husband has been charged with killing her, announced acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park. The body of 32-year-old Karla Jose Villagra Garzon was found by police late Tuesday night in a vacant home on Southern Boulevard in Chatham Township, Morris […]