A 33 year-old Galloway Township man pleaded guilty to the bludgeoning death of his father in April 2015, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner announced.
According to authorities, on Jan. 9th, James Sopuch, Jr. pleaded guilty before Judge Patricia M. Wild, J.S.C to Aggravated Manslaughter in the killing of his father, 60 year-old James Sopuch, Sr.
Officials say Sopuch Jr., will serve 30 years in New Jersey State Prison with an 85% period of parole ineligibility, subject to the No Early Release Act.
“We may never know the secrets of this family that remain behind closed doors. However, family violence continues to contribute to sad, tragic incidents that rip apart the fabric of our community. As a result, the Sopuch family was decimated by alcohol and domestic violence, at the hands of James Sopuch, Jr.,” Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner said.
Police say Sopuch, Sr. was found dead in his home at 96 Trotters Lane in Galloway Township, on April 25, 2015.
In a cooperative investigation by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Galloway Township Police Department who secured witness statements and collected evidence, which ultimately led to the arrest of the victim’s only son, James Sopuch, Jr., as the suspect in his father’s death.
Evidence determined that Sopuch Jr., brutally beat his father to death with two separate baseball bats and an autopsy revealed that the victim died of blunt force trauma to his head, resulting in his death.
The sentencing is scheduled for April 12th.
Anyone with information involving serious crimes is asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-909-7800 or go to the Prosecutor’s Office Web site at http://www.acpo.org/tips.html and provide information by filling out the form anonymously on the Submit a Tip page.
People can also call Crime Stoppers at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS) or visit the Crime Stoppers Website at http://www.crimestoppersatlantic.com/. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those who commit crimes in Atlantic County.