A Monroe Township man has been sentenced to serve 30 years in a New Jersey state prison for the murder of his 46-year old stepfather.
Joao C. Torres, 27, was sentenced on July 6 in New Brunswick Superior Court for the murder of Christopher Ernst Sr., 46, who was found dead on Jan. 4, 2017, in a garage room of a home they shared on Garvey Drive in Monroe, according to information provided by Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey.
Torres received a 30-year prison term without parole eligibility for the murder of his stepfather. He was also sentenced to 10 years for disturbing human remains and five years for each of the two counts of fraudulent use of credit cards. These prison terms are to run concurrent to the 30-year sentence for murder, according to the statement.
Torres was sentenced in accordance with a plea agreement reached with Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Bina Desai and Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Dana Morton. He had pleaded guilty on May 11 to the murder of his stepfather, one count of disturbing human remains, and two counts of fraudulent use of credit cards.
In pleading guilty, Torres admitted to striking his stepfather three times in the head with an axe after he went to bed. He then wrapped him in a blanket and garbage bag with duct tape and moved the body into another room. He also acknowledged taking his wallet and using the victim’s credit cards at a Wawa in Old Bridge and Sayreville, according to the statement.
Torres was charged following an investigation by Detective Joseph Silvestri of the Monroe Township Police Department and Detective Craig Marchak of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
