Those who want to remain anonymous can also contact either Monmouth County Crime Stoppers or Union County Crime Stoppers. The two organizations are jointly offering up to a $15,000 reward for information leading to the whereabouts of Julius. Information can go to Monmouth County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-671-4400 or text "MONMOUTH" and the tip to 274637 (CRIMES) or to the Union County Crime Stoppers at 908-654-TIPS (8477) or text "UCTIP" and the tip to 274637 (CRIMES).
Tyrita R. Julius, 41, has been missing since March 8th. A day later, her mother Queen Julius, called the Linden Police Department in Union County to report her daughter missing. Ms. Julius told authorities Tyrita had been spending time with a female friend in Tinton Falls on March 8th, but failed to return home later that evening.
“It has now been approximately 31 days since Ms. Julius reported her daughter missing. In those 31 days, significant efforts to locate the 41 year-old Linden resident have been made by law enforcement personnel in Monmouth and Union counties and beyond. Numerous friends of Tyrita Julius have told law enforcement they have worked tirelessly to try and locate her, but to no avail. We are appealing to the public and, specifically, to anyone out there who might have information regarding Tyrita’s current whereabouts or may know what may have happened to her,” said Gramiccioni.
Linden Police were advised that calls and text messages to Tyrita Julius’ phone went unanswered. Queen Julius also told police her daughter was reportedly dropped off at the Long Branch Train Station at approximately 7 p.m. by a friend in Tinton Falls. An investigation was launched, and as a result, the Linden Police Department entered Tyrita Julius into the National Computer Information Center (NCIC) database as a missing person. Long Branch Police were also notified. Tyrita has not been located.
“The investigative teams have been unable to corroborate the report Tyrita Julius was dropped off at the Long Branch Train Station by her friend, and it is not believed she boarded a train that night in Long Branch,” Gramiccioni said.
Law enforcement authorities from the Union County Prosecutor’s Office and Linden Police Department contacted the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office about the investigation two days later, on the afternoon of March 11, 2016. A joint investigation by detectives from those agencies, as well as the Long Branch and Tinton Falls police departments unsuccessfully searched for Tyrita, but her whereabouts continue to be unknown.
“There are still many lingering questions surrounding the disappearance of Ms. Julius, but one thing we are all certain about is this: someone out there knows something about it. We strongly urge that person to come forward and do the right thing,” said Acting Chief of Detectives John G. McCabe, Jr., of the Union County Prosecutor's Office.
Significant efforts to locate Tyrita have been made by law enforcement personnel including those from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Union County Prosecutor’s Office, Linden Police Department, Tinton Falls Police Department, Long Branch Police Department, and New Jersey Transit Police.
It should also be noted that Tyrita Julius was previously the victim of a serious, yet non-fatal shooting in Linden, on Nov. 24, 2015. The Linden Police Department was called to 913 Middlesex Street in Linden in reference to the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, police found Tyrita shot several times in the driver’s seat of her vehicle, which was located a short distance from her residence. At the time of the incident, Tyrita’s teenage daughter was seated in the front passenger seat of the vehicle and was also the victim of a non-fatal gunshot wound. To-date, no arrests have been made in connection to this incident.
Anyone with information regarding the disappearance of Tyrita Julius is urged to call Detective Brian Weisbrot of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-800-533-7443 or Detective Kenneth Mikolajczyk of the Linden Police Department at 908-474-8542.