FREEHOLD – A Monmouth Grand Jury has returned an indictment against two men in connection with a 2009 cold case murder, announced Monmouth County Acting Prosecutor Lori Linskey.
Christopher Willis, 31 and Jamere Williams, 30, both of Long Branch, were indicted on one count of first degree Murder related to the death of Norberto Nieves.
On November 29, 2009, Nieves, 36, of Long Branch was shot and killed in the vicinity of 136 7th Avenue in Long Branch.
An investigation was initiated into the homicide by the Long Branch Police Department. At the time of Nieves’ murder, the initial investigation did not yield any arrests. Additional evidence originally recovered from the crime scene was compared to other physical and testimonial evidence recently obtained during the cold case investigation, resulting in charges being filed against the defendants. This newly examined evidence linked Williams and Willis to the more than decade-old murder and each other.
On April 22, 2021, Willis was charged with one count of first degree murder in regards to the death of Nieves. Willis was apprehended with the assistance of the United States Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force and has remained incarcerated in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution. Jamere Williams is also incarcerated pending a detention hearing to be scheduled later this week in Superior Court.
If convicted of murder, Willis and Williams each face a minimum sentence of 30 years in a New Jersey state prison without parole and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, subject to the provisions of the “No Early Release Act” (NERA) requiring 85 percent of the sentence imposed to be served before becoming eligible for release on parole. Each man would also be under parole supervision for five years following any release from state prison.
The case is being investigated by members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Long Branch Police Department. Anyone with information about this case is urged to call Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Detective Wayne Raynor at (800) 533-7443 or Long Branch Police Department Detective Todd Coleman at (732) 222-1000.
Anyone who feels the need to remain anonymous but has information about a crime can submit a tip to Monmouth County Crime Stoppers by calling their confidential telephone tip-line at 1-800-671-4400; or by downloading and using the free P3 Tips mobile app (available for iOS and Android – https://www.p3tips.com/community/index.htm).
The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Meghan Doyle, Director of the Cold Case Unit.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.