Asbury Park Teen Faces Murder Charge: Prosecutor

ASBURY PARK – A Howell juvenile and an 18-year old-from Asbury Park were charged in connection with a March 23 homicide at a Dewitt Avenue, Asbury Park residence, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni has announced.

The Howell juvenile is also facing an attempted murder charge stemming from an October 29, 2019 shooting at the same home, according to an MCPO release.

Jamir Styles, 20, with a last known address of Asbury Park, and the 16-year-old juvenile from Howell were charged on Thursday, October 29th with first-degree murder, first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, second degree unlawful possession of a handgun and second degree possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose.

On March 23rd, at approximately 11:36 p.m., Asbury Park Police responded to a DeWitt Avenue residence after being notified about a male gunshot victim located inside the home.

Asbury Park Police officers responded and located the 24 year old shooting victim, Christian Lahens, inside of his home. Lifesaving efforts were made by emergency medical personnel both in the home and en route to Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

Despite these lifesaving efforts, however, Lahens was pronounced deceased at 12:16 a.m. on March 24, 2020.

The Asbury Park Police department and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office launched a joint investigation into the homicide. As a result of the months long investigation, police have determined that the juvenile and Jamir Styles were both armed with handguns when they approached the victim’s home, the release said.

After alerting those inside the dwelling to their presence, they both fired several shots into the home. The victim was struck with gunfire and later died as a result.

In addition to the charges against the 16 year old and Jamir Styles, law enforcement officers have additionally charged 19-year-old Jayson Freeman, of Lakewood, with hindering the apprehension of another, a third degree crime, based upon his actions in aiding the two shooters.

The March 23, 2020 incident was the second time in five months that the victim’s DeWitt Avenue family residence had been struck with gunfire. On October 29, 2019, at approximately 9:17 p.m., Asbury Park Police responded to the home after receiving a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, police determined that the residence had been struck with gunfire while several residents were inside.

This incident was also jointly investigated by the Asbury Park Police and the Monmouth County
Prosecutor’s Office.

While investigating the March homicide at the DeWitt Avenue residence, police were able to determine that two juveniles, a 16-year-old, and a 14-year-old, were present outside this same home on October 29, 2019 armed with a handgun, the release said.

During the October incident, while outside the residence, one of the juveniles produced a handgun and fired shots inside. Unlike the March 2020 incident, however, no one was injured at that time, the release said.

The 16-year-old juvenile charged with the March 2020 murder was one of the two juveniles involved in the October 29, 2019 incident. The two juveniles have been charged on juvenile complaints with first-degree attempted murder, first-degree conspiracy to commit murder and the second-degree crimes of unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose as a result of the October 29, 2019 incident, the release said.

Styles, a G-Shine Blood, was part of the criminal enterprise identified in Operation Golden State. The investigation revealed that Styles was involved in the distribution of CDS and well as the possession and use of illegal firearms. More specifically, the investigation revealed that Styles and the juvenile carried out the murder of Lahens as part of the ongoing effort to target rivals of the criminal enterprise, the release said.

As part of Styles’ arrest in Operation Golden State, he was also charged with first degree racketeering conspiracy, multiple weapons charges including second degree conspiracy to commit unlawful possession of a weapon, second degree unlawful possession of a weapon, and third degree conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance.

If convicted of murder, Styles faces 30 years in a New Jersey state prison without parole subject to the provisions of the "No Early Release Act" (NERA) requiring him to serve 85 percent of any sentence imposed beyond 30 years before becoming eligible for release on parole. He would also be under parole supervision for five years following his release from state prison.