Fourth man arrested in connection to Jonelle Melton’s murder

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A fourth man has been arrested in connection with the murder of New Jersey middle school teacher Jonelle Melton. Investigators say they are still pursuing new leads in the long‑running case.

Jonelle Melton’s murder arrest

Authorities charged Jerry J. Spraulding, 38, of Keansburg, with several offenses, including first‑degree felony murder in Melton’s death, according to acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni. A felony murder charge applies when offenders kill someone while committing another crime.

Police arrested three men in November in connection with the same case. James Fair, 27; Ebenezer Byrd, 35; and Gregory Jean‑Baptiste, 26, all of Asbury Park, face similar charges tied to the Sept. 14, 2009 killing.

Spraulding is currently serving an eight‑year sentence at Northern State Prison after a conviction last year on two counts of third‑degree drug distribution. His bail for the new charges was set at $1.5 million.

Teacher killed

Melton’s colleagues and police found the 33‑year‑old veteran Red Bank Middle School teacher dead inside her Neptune City apartment. Neptune City Police received a 911 call at 9:07 a.m. on Sept. 14, 2009, reporting an unresponsive woman at the Brighton Arms complex at 311 West Sylvania Ave.

Officers arrived and found Melton. Paramedics from Monmouth Ocean Hospital Services Corporation pronounced her dead shortly afterward.

The prosecutor’s office said investigators worked the case for six years. It became one of the first major investigations to use the Monmouth County Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line and reward program.

According to prosecutors, the four men charged planned to burglarize a specific apartment in the Brighton Arms complex. However, they entered the wrong unit and encountered Melton.

“At some point after realizing they were in the wrong apartment, the men brutally murdered Melton,” the prosecutor’s office said.

Information into Jonelle Melton’s murder

Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact Detective Scott Samis of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 1‑800‑533‑7443 or Detective Lieutenant Matt Quagliato of the Neptune City Police Department at 732‑775‑1615.

Anonymous tips can be submitted to Monmouth County Crime Stoppers by calling 1‑800‑671‑4400, by texting “MONMOUTH” plus a tip to 274637, or through monmouthcountycrimestoppers.com.