Seaside Heights, NJ man indicted for Murder in the death of a woman at Offshore Motel

A Seaside Heights man has been indicted by an Ocean County Grand Jury for murdering a woman at the Offshore Motel in the borough on May 1 of 2021, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer announced on Wednesday.

Gerardo Ruiz, 51, of Seaside Heights, was indicted on a charge of murder for causing the death of Alecia Perreault, 29, of Seaside Heights.

Police received a call on May 1, 2021, around 7:30 am from someone who said that they had knowledge Ruiz killed a woman at the Offshore Motel in Seaside Heights but that the man accused of killing the 29-year old was staying at the Surfside Motel, which is also in the borough, according to Prosecutor Billhimer.

When Seaside Heights Police arrived at the Offshore Motel to investigate the claims, they found Alecia Perreault dead at the scene with apparent wounds to her neck and then later found Ruiz in his Surfside Motel room suffering from an apparent drug overdose.

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Ruiz was then brought to Community Medical Center in Toms River, and in the protective custody of the Ocean County Sheriff's Office, as the investigation into the murder continued forward.

Following his eventual release from the hospital, Ruiz was brought to, and detained in a secure medical facility, according to Prosecutor Billhimer.

As the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, and Seaside Heights Police Detectives, looked into the homicide they gathered evidence and were able to determine that Ruiz was responsible for Alecia Perreault’s death.

Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Assistant Prosecutor Kimberly Carr who presented the case to the Grand Jury on behalf of the State.