Police arrest 2 in connection with killing of Jersey Shore teenager
Images courtesy of the Stern family.
Authorities have arrested two in connection with the killing of a Sarah Stern, a Neptune City teenager who vanished last December.
Liam McAtasney and Preston Taylor, both 19 and from Neptune City, were charged, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office announced today in a release.
McAtasney was charged with murder, robbery, conspiracy to desecrate human remains, and hindering apprehension, while Taylor is facing charges of desecration of human remains, conspiracy to desecrate human remains, and hindering apprehension.
According to authorities, McAtasney allegedly killed Stern and stole property from her on Dec. 2 and Taylor helped by moving and ultimately disposing her body. The two men were reportedly friends with Stern.
The 19-year-old’s car was found parked, with the keys in the vehicle, on the Route 35 bridge connecting Neptune and Belmar at 2:45 a.m. on Dec. 3.
That sparked a search of the Shark River by the US Coast Guard, New Jersey State Police, and local and county search and rescue units at daybreak.
The prosecutor’s office said police found Stern’s house unlocked when they checked her residence that day.
Search parties have fanned out through the area since Stern’s disappearance.
Recent developments led to the two men who were changed, the prosecutor’s office said. Her body has not yet been found.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the office at 800-533-7443.
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