Three New Brunswick Men Indicted On Murder Charges

Three New Brunswick men have been indicted on murder charges in connection with the fatal shooting of a 28-year-old city man last year.

According to a news release from Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey:

Gregorio Hernandez, 28, was hit by gunfire while sitting on a Hale Street porch in the city on May 18, 2014. He died from his injuries and two other men were wounded.

The grand jury on Tuesday handed up an indictment against Rolando Martinez Sanchez, 24, Manuel Mendez, 23, and Renee Herrera, 30, all of New Brunswick.

The 23-count indictment also charges the defendants with aggravated manslaughter, manslaughter, aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit murder, and possession of a firearm for unlawful purposes.

Sanchez and Mendez were also charged with hindering their apprehension, witness tampering, and obstruction of the administration of law.

Police determined Sanchez opened fire on a group of men on Hale Street in New Brunswick.

Hernandez, who had been sitting on a porch, was not one of the intended targets, but he was hit by the gunfire.

He was pronounced dead at 1:08 a.m. at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.

One of the other injured men was treated and released at the hospital. The third man suffered wound to his finger, but declined treatment.

Sanchez has been in custody since Dec. 18. His bail is $1 million.

Bail also was set at $1 million for Herrera, who was arrested Wednesday in Edison.

Mendez’s bail is set at $750,000. He surrendered to police Wednesday.

Detective Drew Weiss of the New Brunswick Police Department and Detective Gregory Morris of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, handled the investigation with help from members of the Newark office of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Brian Shevlin presented the case to the grand jury.

The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Weiss at (732) 745-5217 or Morris at (732) 745-4054.