Police Seek Man Charged W/Yovanni Banos-Merino’s Death
Karon Council, 18, Of Neptune Charged w/Fatal Weds Shooting In Asbury
Police are seeking an 18-year-old Neptune Township man charged Friday for the shooting death of 10-year-old boy Yovanni Banos-Merino, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced in a written statement.
“We are seeking the public’s assistance in helping us locate the second individual involved in this horrible crime,” Gramiccioni said.
A 16-year-old Neptune Township boy was previously arrested and charged Thursday for his role in the murder and shooting that also wounded Yovanni’s mother.
Karon Council, 18, of Neptune Township, is charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, officials said.
Asbury Park Police responded to a 911 call close to 10:40 p.m. Wednesday of shots fired at a home in the 400 block of Ridge Avenue. Police arrived to find Yovanni and his mother Lilia Merino, 38, both suffering from gunshot wounds.
Both victims were transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune but Yovanni was pronounced dead at 11:18 p.m. His mother was treated and released.
A joint investigation with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Asbury Park Police Department was launched with assistance from the Neptune Township Police Department and the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office.
As a result of that investigation, the 16 year-old juvenile was charged on Thursday and lodged at the Middlesex County Youth Detention Center, where he remains after a Friday hearing before the Honorable Kathleen A. Sheedy, officials said.
The juvenile is scheduled for another court appearance on Tuesday.
Efforts to locate Council are active and ongoing, and involve the collaborative effort of a number of federal, state and local law enforcement authorities, officials said.
Anyone with information pertaining to Council’s whereabouts can call Det Brian Weisbrot of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 800-533-7443 or Det Sean DeShader of the Asbury Park Police Department at 732-774-1300.
Anyone wanting to remain anonymous can contact Monmouth County Crime Stoppers confidential tip-line at 1-800-671-4400; text “MONMOUTH” plus the tip to 274637; or, email via monmouthcountycrimestoppers.com. Monmouth County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of criminals and fugitives.
The case has been assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Bogner.
————————————————————————————————–
Follow the Asbury Park Sun on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Asbury Park Sun is affiliated with the triCityNews newspaper.
