An Asbury Park man – currently serving a 12-year sentence for two separate Asbury Park shootings - pleaded not guilty today in connection to the brutal killing of a Red Bank school teacher.
James Fair, 27, Ebenezer Byrd, 35, and Gregory Jean-Baptiste, 26, all of Asbury Park, were charged with first degree murder, robbery and numerous other charges related after allegedly brutally beat Jonelle Melton to death during a burglary gone wrong in 2009.
Through a public defender, Ebeneezer Byrd, 35, of Asbury Park, pleaded not guilty thi afternoon in front of Superior Court Judge Anthony Mellaci Jr.
Both Fair and Jean-Baptiste pleaded not guilty Thursday afternoon, according to officials.
On Sept. 14, 2009, police responded to Brighton Arms apartment complex, where the trio planned on burglarize an apartment but in error broke into Melton's apartment, where they ran into her.
Melton was found by her husband – who went to check on her after she didn't answer phone calls or show up to work - after she had been brutally murdered by the three.
All three men are currently incarcerated on unrelated charges.
Related story:
https://www.rlsmedia.com/article/police-make-arrest-2009-murder-school-teacher-neptune-city