Brick Township man guilty in savage murder-for-hire of father
Brick, NJ — A twisted murder-for-hire plot shattered a quiet Jersey Shore neighborhood after a Brick Township man was convicted Wednesday of orchestrating the brutal killing of his own father in exchange for cash—ending a years-long investigation that pulled in more than a dozen law enforcement agencies.
Mark J. Austin, 34, was found guilty of murder and unlawful possession of a weapon in connection with the death of his father, Mark Richard Austin, who was discovered bludgeoned to death inside his Acorn Drive home on a Saturday in early September. Prosecutors said Austin promised money to co-defendant Jeray Melton, 34, of Salem City, to carry out the killing, which the jury ruled was a calculated hit-for-pay, triggering a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The verdict was reached after a nearly five-week-long trial before Judge Guy P. Ryan in Ocean County Superior Court. Austin is set to be sentenced on December 12.
The body of 61-year-old Mark Richard Austin was found on September 7 with signs of blunt force trauma. Prosecutors said the evidence pointed to a chilling murder conspiracy between Austin and Melton, who were arrested just six days later and have remained behind bars since.
Investigators pieced together the murder plot using digital evidence, witness testimony, and forensic analysis. Prosecutors said Austin and Melton had discussed and planned the killing in advance, with Melton entering the home and carrying out the fatal assault in exchange for a promised payout.
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Austin was formally indicted on October 7, 2021, on charges of murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
Melton took a plea deal in 2020, admitting to aggravated manslaughter and is awaiting sentencing. Prosecutors did not disclose the details of the plea agreement but confirmed that Melton’s cooperation was part of the state’s case.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer called the plot “calculated and cold-blooded” and said the jury’s decision brought justice for the victim’s family after years of painstaking investigative work.
More than 10 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies were involved in the investigation, including the FBI, NJ State Police, multiple local police departments, and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
Austin will spend the rest of his life behind bars if Judge Ryan imposes the mandatory sentence in December.
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Key Points
- Mark J. Austin, 34, was found guilty of hiring a hitman to kill his father in Brick Township in 2019
- A jury concluded the murder was committed for payment, triggering a life sentence without parole
- Co-defendant Jeray Melton pled guilty to aggravated manslaughter and awaits sentencing