Four Asbury Park residents prep for trial for murder of Red Bank teacher

Jury selection begins this week in the trial of four Asbury Park residents charged with first degree felony murder and robbery among other offenses in connection with the death of a Red Bank Middle School teacher on September 14, 2009, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni.

Jerry L. Spraulding, 27, James Fair, 27, Ebenezer Byrd, 35, and Gregory Jean-Baptiste, 26, are charged with killing Jonelle Melton inside her Neptune City apartment.

All four men were indicted in April of 2016 on nine counts of murder months after three of them were arrested.

They were also all charged with second-degree conspiracy, second-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, first-degree felony murder, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.

Byrd and Jean-Baptiste are charged additionally with first-degree tampering with a witness.

Byrd and Spraulding face additional charges of second-degree certain persons not to possess weapons.

Melton was an active member of the school community as a member of the School Improvement team, the Leadership Program at Red Bank Regional High School and selected to serve as the Student Council Advisor.

Matthew Bogner and Lawrence Nelsen are handling prosecution for the state.

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