MONROE: Township man pleads guilty to 2010 murder

By Charles W. Kim, Managing Editor
   MONROE — A township man has pleaded guilty to killing a neighbor in 2010, according to officials.
   Warren Burkey, 34, of 1656 Perrineville Road, pleaded guilty to one count of murder in the slaying of Theresa Wysokowski, 48, on May 6, 2010, according to Middlesex county Prosecutor’s Office Spokesman Jim O’Neill.
   Mr. Burkey, who entered his plea Oct. 5, was a warehouse worker at the time of the killing and lived next door to the victim, Mr. O’Neill said.
   He had been renting a room in the house next door, which was owned by the victim’s mother, for about a month prior to the slaying, Mr. O’Neill said.
   According to police, Mr. Burkey entered Ms. Wysokowski’s 1654 Perrineville Road home the night of May 6, 2010 while the victim’s husband worked the third shift at a company in Freehold.
   He took two knives from the kitchen and stabbed the woman repeatedly, according to Mr. O’Neill.
   Police were called to Ms. Wysokowski’s house at 5:43 a.m. May 6 after receiving a 911 call. They arrived at around 6 a.m. and pronounced Ms. Wysokowski dead at the scene.
   Investigators apprehended Mr. Burkey outside of his 1656 Perrineville Road residence 15 minutes later.
   Mr. Burkey was indicted in November, 2010 for the killing as well as burglary and sexual assault charges related to the crime, according to police.
   According to the indictment, the sexual assault and burglary charges and “depravity of mind” serve as special aggravating factors in the murder.
   In regard to the theft charges, the indictment charges Mr. Burkey with stealing a Crossman Arms .177 Air Rifle Model 2100, a Marlin .22 Caliber Model 60 rifle and a Western Auto Parts 30/30 Rifle Model 200 Revelation; all three rifles being the property of Francis Curtone.
   In regard to burglary, the indictment charged that Mr. Burkey entered the Wysokowski residence unlawfully while armed with a deadly weapon, namely a knife, with the intention of inflicting bodily injury on Ms. Wysokowski.
   Mr. Burkey has been incarcerated at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in North Brunswick on $3 million bail since the killing.
   According to Mr. O’Neill, Mr. Burkey will be sentenced to 30 years in prison without parole on Nov. 27 under the terms of the plea agreement.
   He will then be placed on five years probation when he is released in May of 2040, according to Mr. O’Neill.