LAKEWOOD – A man accused of stabbing his victim to death has pled guilty to Aggravated Manslaughter, police said.
Jorge Santiago-Garcia, 33, of Lakewood, faces a term of 30 years in state prison. He will have to serve at least 85% of that before being eligible for parole.
On August 31, 2020, he attacked Rodrigo Jimenez-Paz , 29, of Lakewood at a business on 2nd Avenue, also in Lakewood. Lifesaving measures were attempted, but the victim died from a stab wound to the chest.
Santiago-Garcia had not left the scene, and he was taken into custody and has been in jail ever since his arrest.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer thanked Assistant Prosecutor Kaitlyn Burke, Senior Assistant Prosecutor Mara Brater and Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Kristin Pressman who are handling the case on behalf of the State, as well as the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Lakewood Township Police Department, Lakewood Detective Bureau, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Sciences for their collective and collaborative efforts in connection with this investigation, leading to Santiago-Garcia’s arrest, guilty plea, and soon his lengthy state prison sentence.
