FREEHOLD, N.J. — Three years after a jogger was attacked and sexually assaulted in broad daylight on the Henry Hudson Trail in Big Brook Park, law enforcement officials are continuing their investigation and urging the public for tips that could lead to an arrest, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Tuesday.
The assault occurred on November 4, 2021, at approximately 11:30 a.m., roughly 100 feet off the trail near its eastern end at Boundary Road in Marlboro Township. Investigators say the victim, an adult woman, was jogging when she noticed a man stretching nearby. Moments later, the man attacked her, causing her to fall to the ground.
Authorities reported that the suspect brandished a box cutter-style knife, inflicting minor injuries to the woman’s arms, before exposing himself and sexually assaulting her. The suspect then fled the area in an unknown direction.
The suspect is described as a tan white male, possibly of Eastern European descent, standing about 6 feet tall and weighing around 240 pounds. He was reportedly wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and sweatpants at the time of the attack. Police have also noted several distinguishing features, including light facial hair, a raised scar on one ear, and a distinctive neck tattoo. A composite sketch of the suspect and his tattoo, created by the New Jersey State Police, has been released to aid in the investigation.
“This investigation has featured hundreds of hours of work and follow-up on more than two dozen leads,” Prosecutor Santiago said. “It remains our hope and belief that someone, somewhere, has information that would lead us to the individual responsible for this brazen and despicable act of sexual violence.”
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Kayla Santiago at 800-533-7443 or Marlboro Township Police Detective Michael Pecoraro at 732-536-0100. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Monmouth County Crime Stoppers.
Despite years without an arrest, authorities remain committed to finding the person responsible for this violent crime.