Farmingdale Man Charged with Murder In Asbury Park Shooting

A Farmingdale man was arrested Wednesday and charged with the deadly daytime shooting of an Asbury Park man back in April, announced the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office

The arrest of Jacquil Jones, 25 of Farmingdale was the result of a joint effort by detectives from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Asbury Park Police Department. 

Jones was arrested with the assistance of the New Jersey State Police and charged with first degree murder, second degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and second degree unlawful possession of a weapon, in connection with the April 10, 2014 murder of Jermaine Huntley, 28, of Asbury Park. 

Jones is currently being held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, Freehold Township, on $1.2 million cash only bail, as set by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Honora O’Brien Kilgallen, J.S.C.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, on Thursday, April 10 at about 9:49 a.m., Neptune Township police were dispatched to Jersey Shore University Medical Center on a report of a gunshot victim who arrived at the hospital after he was driven by a friend. Huntley died from his wounds at 10:28 a.m.

A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Asbury Park Police Department was immediately launched after learning the victim was shot in the 1200 block of Washington Avenue in Asbury Park.  

During the course of the investigation, police determined Jones was driving in a motor vehicle on Washington Avenue when he came upon Huntley and fired a single gunshot which struck and ultimately killed him.  Jones fled the scene in his vehicle.  

As a result of information learned during the ongoing investigation, police charged Jones with murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon.

“The arrest of Jacquil Jones for this brazen, broad daylight shooting on Washington Avenue is the result of a tireless effort by this Office and the Asbury Park Police Department,” said Monmouth County First Assistant Prosecutor Marc C. LeMieux in a statement. 

“Our agencies will continue to aggressively combat the violence which continues to occur in the City of Asbury Park and surrounding areas.  In this regard, we continue to stress that successful investigations and prosecutions are not possible without the cooperation of the community.”

If convicted of murder, Jones faces a minimum sentence of 30 years in a New Jersey state prison without parole and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, subject to the provisions of the "No Early Release Act" (NERA) requiring him to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole.

 If convicted of the second degree counts of possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose or unlawful possession of a weapon, he faces on each count a maximum of 10 years in New Jersey State Prison, subject to a mandatory minimum of one-half of the sentence imposed or 42 months (3.5 years), whichever is greater, without parole. 

Anyone with information relating to this investigation should contact Detective Scott Samis of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at (800) 533-7443 or Detective Steven Ramseur of the Asbury Park Police Department at (732) 774-1300.

The case is being prosecuted by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Thomas C. Huth, Director of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Bureau and Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Christopher J. Decker of the Office’s Major Crimes Bureau, Asbury Park Satellite Office.  Jones is represented by Nikole A. Pezzullo, Esq., of Freehold.

 Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.