Middlesex County Acting Prosecutor Christie L. Bevacqua and Chief James J. Craparotta of the Jamesburg Police Department announced today that Jaree D. Kitchen, 21-year-old borough man, has been arrested and charged with murder and aggravated arson in the fire he caused at his father’s home on Sheridan Street in Jamesburg on November 6, 2019.
Two deceased victims were located during the fire. Clifford Kitchen, 53, of Jamesburg, was identified as one of the deceased. The other deceased victim’s identity is pending positive identification.
The Middlesex County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office performed the autopsies, and found that both victims sustained stab wounds. The manner of death for both victims was ruled homicide.
Jaree D. Kitchen, 21 of Jamesburg, was taken into custody on November 6, 2019 and is now charged with two counts of first-degree murder, aggravated arson in the second degree, hindering his own prosecution in the third degree, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose in the third degree, and destroying physical evidence in the fourth degree.
Jaree Kitchen is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center pending a Detention Hearing scheduled for November 13, 2019.
The investigation is active and is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Sergeant Jason Muller of the Jamesburg Police Department at (732) 521-0011, or Detective Deon McCall of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3848.