Ocean TWP Man Pleads Guilty To 2017 Manslaughter/Robbery
Villani, 22, Admits To Planning Robbery That Led To 29 Yr Old Brick Man's Death with Girlfriend
An Ocean Township man pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated manslaughter and armed robbery in connection with the 2017 killing of
Joseph Villani, 22, pleaded guilty on Friday to the first degree aggravated manslaughter charge,
The charges stem from a joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean Township, Wall, and Asbury Park police departments after Patel was found dead on Feb 22, 2017, in Shark River Park.
A Monmouth County Park Ranger discovered Patel, 29, of Brick along the side of Gully Road down a slight slope during a litter collection detail. The ranger reported his discovery at approximately 8:37 am, officials said. Officers from the Wall Township Police Department were dispatched to the area and confirmed the presence of a deceased male.
Within a short period of time, Patel was identified and it was discovered that he had been reported missing to the Asbury Park Police Department by a friend on Feb 9 of that year.
Officials said a black 2003 Jaguar that Patel was driving prior to his disappearance was discovered abandoned on an Asbury Park street on that same day.
Ultimately, detectives determined the homicide had occurred at Joseph Villani’s Ocean Township residence in the afternoon of Feb 6, 2017. He was arrested on Feb 25, 2017.
Officials said detectives discovered evidence that Villani conspired with his girlfriend Raquel Garajau to commit the crimes and that she aided him in destroying and concealing evidence in connection with the robbery and killing of Patel.
During his plea agreement before Judge Oxley, Villani admitted that they planned to rob Patel and that Garajau assisted him with the planning and knew he would be armed with a .22 caliber Marlin long rifle. He admitted to shooting the victim three times during the robbery, which occurred within the garage of Villani’s Ocean Township home.
Villani further told the Court that after the killing, Garajau assisted him in hiding evidence and also shared in the proceeds of the robbery.
Villani is scheduled to return before Judge Oxley for sentencing on March 21. Under the terms of a plea agreement, Villani faces a maximum 40 years prison term under the No Early Release Act, meaning he must serve 85 percent of any sentence hand down. He remains in custody at the Middlesex County Correctional Institution.
Garajau, 20, of Tinton Falls, was found guilty of numerous charges following a two-month jury trial that occurred over the summer. The charges included first degree felony murder, second degree conspiracy to commit armed robbery, first degree armed robbery, second degree conspiracy to commit theft of marijuana, theft of marijuana, conspiracy to commit theft of cash, theft of cash, conspiracy to possess a weapon for an unlawful purpose, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, tampering with physical evidence, hindering apprehension, hindering apprehension of another [Villani], and witness tampering.
She remains incarcerated at the Monmouth County Jail, pending sentencing before Judge Oxley on January 18.
The case is assigned to Assistant Prosecutors Melanie Falco and Stephanie Dugan. Villani is represented by Edward R. Bertuccio of Eatontown, and Garajau is represented by Robert A. Honecker and Tara Walsh, both of Ocean Township.
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