Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Barnegat Township Police Chief Keith A. Germain announced that on November 2, 2023, Michael Mulgrew, 34, of Barnegat, was charged with two counts of Murder, Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, in connection with the stabbing deaths of his parents, Eugene Mulgrew, 71, and Cheryl Mulgrew, 69, both of Barnegat.
On November 2, 2023, at approximately 11:00 a.m., Officers from the Barnegat Township Police Department were summoned to a residence on Lincoln Avenue to assist medical personnel with performing a mobile outreach at the residence. As the Officers approached the residence, they observed a male walking away. Upon their arrival, Officers noticed red staining – which appeared to be blood – on the front door of the residence. The Officers made entry, and found blood in various areas of the home. As the Officers entered the bedroom, they located the deceased bodies of two victims with apparent stab wounds to their upper torsos. The victims were later identified as Eugene and Cheryl Mulgrew. The Officers also observed a knife in the vicinity of the bedroom.
The male initially observed walking away from the residence was observed in the area of West Bay Boulevard and Gunning River Road by Barnegat Township Police Officers. That individual, later identified as Michael Mulgrew, was taken into custody without incident.
An investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Barnegat Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, revealed that Michael Mulgrew was responsible for the murders of his mother and father. Mulgrew was charged accordingly and transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he is presently lodged pending a detention hearing.
Prosecutor Billhimer and Chief Germain acknowledge the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Barnegat Township Police Department, Barnegat Township Police Department Detective Bureau, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, for their collaborative efforts in connection with this investigation leading to Michael Mulgrew’s swift apprehension.
The charges referenced above are merely accusations and the press and public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
R.P.C. 3.6(b)(6).