By MICHAEL NUNES
Staff Writer
RED BANK–A fourth suspect has been charged in connection with the murder of former Red Bank Middle School teacher, Jonelle Melton.
On Jan 15, the Monmouth Country Prosecutor’s Office announced that Jerry J. Spraulding, 38, of Keansburg, has been charged with first degree felony murder, first degree armed robbery, second degree conspiracy to commit armed burglary, second degree armed burglary, second degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, second degree unlawful possession of a weapon and second degree certain persons not to possess weapons.
Spraulding is currently serving an eight-year sentence in Northern State Prison on two counts of third degree distribution of a controlled dangerous substance.
For his new charges in connection with Melton’s murder, Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Joseph W. Oxley placed bail at $1.5 million.
Spraulding joins James Fair, 27, Ebenezer Byrd, 35, and Gregory Jean-Baptiste, 26, who were charged in connection with the murder on Nov. 19 of last year. The three men already charged had all been serving prison sentences for separate crimes.
Melton, 33, was a former social studies teacher at RBMS. She was killed Sept. 14, 2009, when, police believe, the four men mistakenly entered her Neptune apartment at the Brighton Arms complex.
In a joint investigation by the Neptune City Police Department and the Monmouth County Prosecutors office, police believe that the four men had originally planned to burglarize from a specific apartment in the complex. When they realized they broke into the wrong apartment, they murdered Melton, police say.
The murder of Melton was felt throughout the Red Bank community. According to Ben Forest, a member of the district board of education, the murder was “the most traumatic event” to have happened in the district.
Colleagues described Melton as “energetic, vibrant and warm.” A candlelight vigil was held at the middle school on the day Melton’s body was discovered by her husband, and school was canceled Sept. 21, the day of her funeral.
Monmouth County First Assistant Prosecutor Marc C. LeMieux and Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Bogner are prosecuting the case.