Juvenile charged in toms river murder, few details made public

Juvenile Charged in Toms River Murder, Few Details Made Public

TOMS RIVER-The body of 44-year-old Margarita Diaz was found in a Deer Chase Professional Park parking lot last week. Now, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said a juvenile has been charged for her murder.

Billhimer offered very few details of the murder though.

“Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Toms River Police Chief Mitch Little have announced that a juvenile has been arrested and charged with the murder of Margarita Diaz, 44, of Manchester Township, which occurred on Wednesday, August 7, 2019, at the Deer Chase Professional Park, Route 37 West, in Toms River Township,” Billhimer said. “In addition to being charged with Ms. Diaz’s murder in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3a, the juvenile was charged with possession of a weapon – specifically a knife — for an unlawful purpose in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4d, unlawful possession of a weapon in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5d, and endangering the welfare of a child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a. The juvenile is being detained in the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center. ”

“Due to the fact that the individual charged with these offenses is a juvenile, the law prohibits the release of any additional information,” Billhimer said.

We’ve seen more detailed press releases from LEO press corps for those caught on shoplifting charges in the past, but when it comes to a grisly murder in a public parking lot, no details were released.

Shore News Network Staff Report

Shore News Network Staff Report is the official newsroom byline used by Shore News Network when a story is produced through the collaborative work of multiple members of the editorial team rather than a single reporter.

This newsroom account is reserved for articles that involve contributions from multiple journalists, editors, photographers, researchers, or news desk staff. It is also used for developing stories that are updated as new verified information becomes available, as well as for community announcements, weather coverage, public safety alerts, election results, and other newsroom-produced content.

Every article published under the Shore News Network Staff Report byline is reviewed and edited in accordance with the organization's editorial standards for accuracy, fairness, attribution, and transparency. Information is verified through official government agencies, court records, law enforcement, public documents, direct reporting, interviews, and other reliable primary and secondary sources before publication whenever possible.

The Staff Report account does not use artificial intelligence to independently generate news or publish unverified information. AI-assisted tools may occasionally be used for editorial support tasks such as transcription, formatting, grammar review, or workflow efficiency, but all published content is subject to human editorial oversight and approval by Shore News Network's newsroom staff.

As an independently owned digital news organization, Shore News Network is committed to original reporting, public safety journalism, government accountability, local community coverage, and breaking news throughout New Jersey and surrounding regions. Stories published under the Staff Report byline reflect the collective experience and editorial judgment of the Shore News Network newsroom.

Readers who have corrections, additional information, or news tips related to a Staff Report article are encouraged to contact the newsroom at news@shorenewsnetwork.com. Shore News Network welcomes factual corrections and updates as part of its commitment to accurate, transparent journalism.