FREEHOLD – A Monmouth County grand jury doled out a five count indictment this morning against the Long Branch man responsible for the murder of 16-year old Madison Wells back in September, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Bryan Cordero-Castro, 20, has been charged with first degree Murder, third degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, fourth degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, third degree Attempted Escape and fourth degree Stalking.
On September 8, 2018, a late night 911 call reported a stabbing at a Van Pelt Place residence in Long Branch. Upon arrival, Long Branch police and EMS discovered Madison Wells wounded on the floor. Wells had sustained stab wounds to the chest and was then transported to Monmouth Medical Center where she was later pronounced dead.
The ensuing investigation found that Cordero-Castro and Wells used to date in November of 2017. When she ended the relationship, Cordero-Castro repeatedly tried to contact her, texting and calling her numerous times in the 9 hour period leading up to the murder.
When Cordero-Castro found Wells at the Van Pelt Place residence, things took a violent turn. After meeting him outside to speak, Wells stumbled back inside with stab wounds to the chest.
Cordero-Castro was arrested at his cousin’s residence on Morris Avenue in Long Branch approximately 2 hours later. He later tried to escape police custody by trying to run out of the booking room, police reported, but was stopped by Long Branch Detective Sergeant Brendan Cahill and Officer Evan Morell.
Cordero-Castro faces a minimum sentence of 30 years in state prison without parole and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment on the murder charge. For the third degree charges of Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose and Attempted Escape, Cordero-Castro faces a sentence of three to 5 years in prison on each of those charges. For the fourth degree charges of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon and Stalking, Cordero-Castro faces up to 18 months in prison on each charge.
Cordero-Castro is being held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution since his arrest and is scheduled to appear before the Honorable Paul X. Escandon, J.S.C. on January 7, 2019.
