FREEHOLD – A juvenile and an adult male have been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old North Brunswick man earlier this month at Pier Village in Long Branch, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Monday.
The juvenile, whose name has not been released due to his age, is being held at a juvenile detention center. He faces multiple juvenile complaints including first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit unlawful possession of a weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, possession of a prohibited weapon, and hindering.
Dwayne Exilus, 18, of Woodbridge, has been charged with second-degree conspiracy to commit unlawful possession of a handgun, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, third-degree hindering, and fourth-degree possession of a prohibited weapon.
The charges stem from a shooting that occurred around 8:58 p.m. on Thursday, June 12, on the beach area between the shoreline and boardwalk at Pier Village. Responding officers from the Long Branch Police Department found an adult male victim suffering from a single gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene and later identified as Chrystofer A. Whyte, 18, of North Brunswick.
The investigation is ongoing and is being led by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Bureau and the Long Branch Police Department.
Authorities credited assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, and police departments in Woodbridge, Linden, and Metuchen.
Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact MCPO Detective Thomas Manzo at 800-533-7443 or Long Branch Police Detective Joseph Spitale at 732-222-1000, ext. 1339.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Bogner, director of the Major Crimes Bureau.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
