Key Points:
- Juan Santiago-Rojas indicted for attempted murder, strangulation, and weapons offenses
- The victim suffered serious head and neck injuries and was hospitalized
- Santiago-Rojas was captured in North Carolina after over a year as a fugitive
TOMS RIVER, NJ — A fugitve with multiple immigration detainers accused of murder has been indicted on multiple charges, including attempted murder and strangulation, in connection with a violent assault that left a woman unconscious in August 2022, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced Thursday.
Juan Santiago-Rojas, 31, was formally indicted by an Ocean County Grand Jury on charges of attempted murder, strangulation, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon. The charges stem from an incident that occurred on August 22, 2022, at a residence on Butler Avenue in Point Pleasant Borough.
Police responded to the home that day and found an unconscious woman with serious injuries to her head and neck. She was first transported to Ocean Medical Center in Brick Township and later transferred to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for further treatment. She was eventually released.
Authorities launched an investigation that identified Santiago-Rojas as the suspect. Initially charged with aggravated assault on August 23, 2022, he fled the area and was listed as a fugitive in the National Crime Information Center database.
On December 8, 2023, Santiago-Rojas was apprehended by law enforcement in Wilmington, North Carolina.
He was extradited to New Jersey on January 12, 2024, and has remained in custody at the Ocean County Jail.
Following continued investigation, officials filed additional charges, including attempted murder, on January 22, 2024.
Prosecutor Billhimer credited Assistant Prosecutor Lynn Juan and multiple local and federal agencies for their coordinated efforts in securing the indictment.
A fugitive for more than a year, Santiago-Rojas now faces serious charges in a brutal 2022 assault that shocked Point Pleasant.