EDISON — A man suspected of attempted murder was tracked down by Edison police at the township’s Rivendell Apartments on April 28, according to Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey D. Soriano.
Winston Wilson Jr., also known as Jesus, 24, of Linden, accused of the attempted murder of an 18-year-old Franklin Township woman, was found at an apartment within Building 6 at the complex around 10:50 p.m. After being charged by police, he was transported to the Somerset County jail, where he is being held.
The charges stem from an April 26 incident in Franklin Township, where police received a report of a female suffering from head trauma. Responding officers located the victim, who had a significant head injury and stab wounds to her arms and torso, outside the residence, according to authorities.
The officers and medical personnel immediately performed lifesaving measures. The victim was transported to an area trauma center with lifethreatening injuries and underwent emergency surgery.
Officers checking the victim’s residence found obvious signs of a physical altercation in her bedroom. A family vehicle that was parked at the residence could not be accounted for by the family, and its whereabouts were unknown at the time of the initial investigation.
Investigating officers released the vehicle’s description, and the Edison Police Department recovered it — parked and unoccupied — outside the Rivendell Apartments.
Wilson faces charges of first-degree attempted murder, first-degree robbery, two third-degree counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun.
Although detectives have yet to release a motive for the assault, they stated that the incident was isolated, and the victim was an intended target and someone whom Wilson knew, according to Soriano.
The investigation remains active, and detectives are urging anyone with information to contact the Franklin Township Police Department at 732- 873-2300, Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100 or the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888- 577-TIPS. Those with information may also visit www.888577tips.org or www.scpo.net and click on “Crime Stoppers” or “TIPS HOTLINE.” All Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential, officials said.