Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey and Acting Chief Larry Cattano of the Perth Amboy Police Department announced today that a New York man has been charged with the murder of a Perth Amboy resident who died after he was punched and knocked to the ground last week.
Lashawn Jones, 41, of the Bronx was charged with felony murder following the death of Pascual Luna-Grande, 37, of Perth Amboy.
The charge was filed after the victim died on September 23, 2015 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.
Bail has been raised to $750,000 for the defendant, who has been in custody since he punched and robbed the victim on September 18, 2015.
Mr. Luna-Grande was taken to the hospital after he was found unconscious on the sidewalk on Madison Avenue in Perth Amboy at 4:40 a.m.
During the investigation, it was determined that the victim had been attacked at 2 a.m.
After the man fell to the ground, Jones took the victim’s cell phone and an undisclosed amount of cash, and fled.
Jones was apprehended several hours later and was charged with aggravated assault and robbery.
The investigation is active and is continuing.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Pias of the Perth Amboy Police Department at (732) 324-3824, or Detective Canastra of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3809.