FREEHOLD, N.J. – Three New Jersey men have been charged in the 2009 beating death of a middle school teacher who authorities say was a victim of mistaken identity.
The charges were announced Thursday by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's office, which says they acted on a tip.
Jonelle Melton's body was found in September 2009 inside her Neptune City apartment. The 33-year-old taught at a middle school in Red Bank.
Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni (grah-mee-chee-OHN'-ee) says James Fair, Ebenezer Byrd and Gregory Jean-Baptiste have been charged with murder, robbery and other offenses.
Gramiccioni says the three had planned on robbing a different apartment in the same complex.
It wasn't immediately known if the three had retained attorneys.
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