Botched Armed Robbery Leaves One Man Dead, Dropped off at Toms River Hospital

TOMS RIVER, NJ – Two men, Craig Dillard, 56, of  Berkeley Township and George Burke, IV, 40, of Freehold Borough have been charged with numerous offenses related to a shooting and robbery that left one man dead in Berkeley Township. According to police, On Saturday, at approximately 10:15 p.m., officers from the Toms River Township Police Department responded to Community Medical Center for a report of an unresponsive male with a gunshot wound. “The male, subsequently identified as a Jimmy Mosley, was pronounced deceased by the attending physician at 10:28 p.m,” the TRPD said. “On March 10, 2022, the Ocean County Medical Examiner performed a post-mortem examination of Mr. Mosley and determined the cause of his death to be a gunshot wound to the back, piercing the lung and lodging in the nasal cavity, and the manner of death to be a homicide.” According to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, a subsequent investigation by the agency’s Major Crime Unit, Berkeley Township Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, determined that Mosley and George Burke went to the residence of Craig Dillard to commit a robbery; both Mosley and Burke were armed with firearms at the time. “The investigation further revealed that Mosley entered Dillard’s residence while armed with a firearm.  Upon Mosley entering the residence, Dillard and Mosley became engaged in a physical altercation.  During the course of the altercation, Dillard, who was also armed with a firearm, fired three rounds at Mosley.” the OCPO said in a statement. “Mosley and Burke fled the scene; Mosley was subsequently dropped off at Community Medical Center where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.  The previously referenced post-mortem examination revealed that Mosley was shot in the knee, hand, and back.” A subsequent search of Dillard’s residence revealed that Dillard was in possession of approximately one-half pound of marijuana for distribution purposes.  Additionally, during the course of the investigation, it was learned that Dillard destroyed evidence left at his residence, and Burke destroyed evidence of his involvement with the robbery. On April 6, 2022, Burke was taken into custody without incident at his home in Freehold Borough by the United States Marshals Service.  On April 11, 2022, Dillard was taken into custody in Beverly, New Jersey, by Officers from the Edgewater Park Township Police Department.  Both men were transported to the Ocean County Jail, where they will remain lodged pending a detention hearing. “This was truly a team effort in terms of the depth and comprehensiveness of this investigation.  These detectives combed through the evidence and were ultimately able to piece together what transpired in Berkeley Township on the night of March 9, 2022,” Prosecutor Billhimer stated.  “Law enforcement was able to establish very early on in the investigation that there was no immediate danger to the public.  From there, these Detectives went to work doing their absolute best to solve these crimes.  Every law enforcement officer involved this investigation has my profound gratitude.”

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Berkeley Township Police Chief Kevin Santucci have announced that Craig Dillard, 56, of  Berkeley Township, has been charged with Possession of a Firearm while Engaged in Drug Activity in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4.1; Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(11); Possession Marijuana in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10a; Receiving Stolen Property in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-7; and Tampering with Physical Evidence in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:28-6.  Prosecutor Billhimer and Chief Santucci have also announced that George Burke, IV, 40, of Freehold Borough, has been charged with Robbery in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1; Conspiracy to Commit Robbery in violation of N.J.S.A 2C:5-2 and N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1; Possession of a Firearm for an Unlawful Purpose in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4a; Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b; Certain Person Not to Possess a Firearm in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-7; Burglary in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2; and Tampering with Physical Evidence in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:28-6.  All charges arise from the same investigation into the shooting death of Jimmy Mosley, 36, of South Toms River, in Berkeley Township on March 9, 2022. Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office – Press release