TOMS RIVER — A Brick Township man will spend the rest of his life in state prison without the possibility of parole for arranging the killing of his father, authorities announced.
Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office said Mark J. Austin, 34, was sentenced January 8 by Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan to life imprisonment in connection with the 2019 death of his father, Mark Richard Austin, at the family’s home.
Austin was convicted in October 2025 following a jury trial that lasted nearly five weeks. Jurors found him guilty of murder and unlawful possession of a weapon.
Police were called to a residence on Acorn Drive in Brick Township on September 7, 2019, where officers discovered the victim dead with signs of blunt force trauma, prosecutors said. Investigators later determined the killing was planned and carried out as part of a conspiracy involving Austin and Jeray Melton, 34, of Salem City.
Authorities said Austin agreed to pay Melton to kill his father. Both men were arrested on September 13, 2019, and have remained in custody since that time. A grand jury later indicted Austin on charges including murder and weapons offenses.
Melton pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in February 2020 and is awaiting sentencing.
Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said the life sentence reflects the severity of the crime and ensures permanent accountability. He added that while the sentence cannot undo the loss, it is intended to provide a measure of justice to the victim’s family.
The prosecution credited multiple agencies for their role in the investigation, including the Brick Township Police Department, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Manchester Township Police, and state and federal law enforcement partners.
