Toms River Man Charged With Murder in Wawa Shooting, Police Hunt for Fugitive
Douglas Cobb, 51, also known as Douglas Green and “Bootknock,” is wanted in the fatal shooting of Bruce Gress at the Route 37 Wawa in Toms River.
TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Toms River man has been charged with murder in Friday morning’s fatal shooting outside a Wawa on Route 37, and law enforcement agencies are now searching for him.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced Saturday that Douglas Cobb, 51, of Toms River, has been charged with murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon and being a certain person not to possess a weapon.
Cobb is accused of shooting and killing Bruce Gress, 42, of Toms River, in the parking lot of the Wawa at Route 37 and Garfield Avenue.
Cobb has not been taken into custody and is considered a fugitive. Police issued an arrest warrant and entered his name into the National Crime Information Center database.
Victim found shot in head
Toms River Township police were called to the Wawa at approximately 7:20 a.m. Friday for a report of a person suffering from a gunshot wound.
Officers found Gress with a gunshot wound to the head.
Emergency medical personnel transported him to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators have not publicly disclosed what led to the shooting.
Gress had prior arrest in Florida for beating prostitute nearly to death.
In 2014, Gress was reportedly arrested by the St. Petersburg Police Department in Florida.
Detectives at the time announced the arrest of Bruce J. Gress, 30, on charges of attempted first-degree murder in connection with the brutal assault of a 21-year-old woman at the Kenwood Village Inn on 34th Street North on Aug. 23. According to investigators, Gress and the victim went to the motel room to engage in prostitution before he allegedly became enraged, strangled her, and repeatedly beat and kicked her in the face until she lost consciousness. Authorities said he then left the room, leaving her critically injured.
A neighboring motel guest later heard sounds of distress and discovered the woman severely beaten. She was transported to Bayfront Medical Center, where she underwent surgery to repair multiple fractures to her jaw and face. After regaining consciousness, the victim assisted detectives in identifying Gress, leading to his arrest and the attempted first-degree murder charge.
The outcome of that charge is unknown.
Gress was an MMA fighter. He had a 1-2 record as a professional fighter between 2008 and 2009.
Authorities identify Cobb after extensive investigation
Billhimer said an investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Toms River Township Police Department Detective Bureau and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit identified Cobb as the person allegedly responsible for killing Gress.
“Our focus now is to locate Douglas Cobb and bring him into custody,” Billhimer said.
Authorities said Cobb also uses the name Douglas Green and is known by the nickname “Bootknock.”
He was last seen driving a black 2016 Acura MDX with New Jersey registration T93YJL.
“We ask anyone that knows Cobb to advise him to turn himself in peacefully,” Billhimer said.
Multiple agencies involved in search
The continuing investigation and search for Cobb has involved the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit and Narcotics Strike Force, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Toms River Township Police Department, South Toms River Police Department, Freehold Borough Police Department, Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office and the United States Marshals Service.
Billhimer credited the agencies for their “combined, collective, and continuing efforts” in the investigation.
Anyone with credible information about Cobb’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit at 732-929-2027 or the Toms River Township Police Department at 732-349-0150.
The charges against Cobb are accusations. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Douglas Cobb, 51, is wanted on murder and weapons charges in the fatal shooting of Bruce Gress outside the Route 37 Wawa in Toms River.