Uncle, nephew admit to killing Lakewood, NJ man with machete – New Jersey 101.5 FM

HOWELL — An uncle and his nephew have admitted to killing a person with a machete and leaving the sufferer’s physique on the street.

Omar Rivera-Rojas, 32, also called Juan Carlos Rivera Rojas, and Alberto Rojas-Hernandez, 20, each of Lakewood, on Friday pleaded responsible to first diploma aggravated manslaughter costs for the slaying in Howell practically three years in the past.

Domingo Merino-Rafael, 33, additionally of Lakewood, was discovered face down on Hurley Pond Street east of Route 547 early on the morning of Oct. 18, 2019. He was “clearly deceased,” prosecutors mentioned in a press release.

Whereas investigators at first handled his loss of life as a hit-and-run, it shortly turned clear that he had been attacked. Merino-Rafael’s reason behind loss of life was “a number of chop wounds to the pinnacle,” in accordance with prosecutors.

Investigators discovered that the three males had traveled collectively to Middlesex County the evening of Oct. 17. They had been on their method again to Lakewood when an argument broke out that escalated to the killing.

Each the uncle and nephew admitted to utilizing the machete to strike Merino-Rafael at the back of his head, in accordance with prosecutors.

A sentencing listening to for the 2 males is at the moment scheduled for Mar. 3, 2023. Prosecutors say they’ll advocate 22 years in state jail for Rivera-Rojas and 20 years in jail for Rojas-Hernandez, with each being topic to the No Early Launch Act which would require them to serve 85 % of their sentences earlier than being eligible for parole.

Rick Rickman is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You’ll be able to attain him at [email protected]

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