Kathleen Dorsett OCEAN TOWNSHIP — A Monmouth County grand jury has returned an indictment against three members of an Ocean Township family in connection with the murder of a Manchester Township man.
The 14-count indictment, which was handed down Jan. 31, names Kathleen Dorsett, 36; her father, Thomas Dorsett, 64, and her mother, Leslie Dorsett, 65, all of Ocean Township, in connection with the murder of Kathleen Dorsett’s ex-husband, Stephen Moore, 42, of Manchester Township, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
The indictment charges that Kathleen and Thomas Dorsett allegedly murdered Moore at their home on Lockwood Place, according to authorities.
Moore was at the residence to drop off his daughter, whom he shared custody of with Kathleen Dorsett, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
Both Kathleen Dorsett and Thomas Dorsett are facing charges, including first-degree murder and first-degree conspiracy to commit murder.
Thomas Dorsett They were also indicted on three counts of fourthdegree tampering with physical evidence; second-degree conspiracy to commit disturbing or desecrating human remains; and second-degree disturbing or desecrating human remains for allegedly tampering with crime scene evidence at the Lockwood Place residence, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
The indictment also charges Thomas Dorsett with third-degree tampering with a witness, conspiracy to commit aggravated arson, and first-degree arson for hire, according to authorities .
The charges allege that Thomas Dorsett hired Anthony Morris, 31, of Long Branch, to dispose ofMoore’s body by burning it in the trunk of Moore’s mother’s auto in Long Branch on Aug. 18, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
Morris, who was also named in the indictment, is facing two counts of fourth-degree tampering with physical evidence; second-degree conspiracy to commit aggravated arson; first-degree arson for hire; second-degree conspiracy to commit disturbing or desecrating human remains; and one count of second-degree disturbing or desecrating human remains, according to authorities.
Anthony Morris The indictment also charges Kathleen Dorsett’s mother, Leslie Dorsett, 65, with fourth-degree tampering with physical evidence, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation into Moore’s murder also uncovered an alleged money-laundering scheme at various banks in Monmouth County, and an alleged “murder for hire” plot in which Moore’s mother, Evlyn Moore, was the intended victim, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
Kathleen, Thomas and Leslie Dorsett each face third-degree conspiracy to commit money laundering and third-degree money laundering, according to authorities. The Prosecutor’s Office alleges that each of the three Dorsetts indicted structured financial transactions at various banks in Monmouth County for the purpose of evading state and federal currency transaction reporting requirements.
Additionally, the indictment charges Kathleen and Leslie Dorsett with first-degree conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree attempted murder.
Those charges are in connection with an alleged murder-for-hire plot that was allegedly set up to target Moore’s mother, Evlyn Moore.