Joao C. Torres, 26, was indicted Thursday by a grand jury in Middlesex County in connection with the death of Christopher Ernst Sr. earlier this year
MONROE -- A township man accused of using a weapon to chop at his stepfather's head repeatedly until he was dead has been indicted on a murder charge, officials said.
Joao C. Torres, 26, was indicted Thursday by a grand jury in Middlesex County in the death of Christopher Ernst Sr. earlier this year, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey said in a release.
Ernst, 46, was found dead Jan. 4 in the garage of the home the two shared on Garvey Drive in Monroe Township, authorities said. Ernst was pronounced dead at the scene and an autopsy described the injuries as chop wounds, authorities said.
Authorities say that Torres hit his stepfather repeatedly with an unidentified weapon.
Ernst was killed some time on the 3rd or 4th of January, according to the prosecutor's office.
The investigation began after someone called police concerned that Torres didn't show up for work on Jan. 4, authorities said.
Police found Torres in a pickup truck in a wooded section of town a few miles from his home and arrested him the following day.
The 20-count indictment also charges Torres with three weapons offenses, disturbing human remains, tampering with evidence and multiple counts of avoiding arrest.
Torres is also accused of stealing Ernst's 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe and three credit cards which he allegedly used at five convenience stores, two fast-food restaurants and a gas station.
Anyone with information on the incident may call (732) 521-0222 or (732) 745-3254.
Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig and on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.