Lakewood murder case suspects and mom indicted

Two Sussex County men suspected of a murdering a Lakewood victim last December move closer to trial, and one defendant's mother also heads to a possible trial for allegedly trying to throw investigators off the trail.

Indictments returned Tuesday charge Jesus E. Roman, 25, and Carlos Lagunes, 24, with one count each of murder, felony murder, burglrary and robbery. Evelyn Rodriguez, 47, was indicted for hindering apprehension, according to the office of Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato.

Roman and Lagunes have been behind bars in Ocean County since their arrests in the first week of January, with bail fo reach set at $1,000,000. Rodriguez's bail was set at a full $250,000.

The body of Miguel Rivera, 45, bearing head trauma, was found face-down in the bedroom doorway of his Laguna Lane house on Christmas Eve, by officers conducting a wellness check on behalf of family members who reported hearing nothing from him for several days.

Members of Lakewood Township Police and the the Prosecutor's Major Crimes Unit.developed evidence pointing to Roman and Lagunes, despite alleged interference by Roman's mother, authorities said.

Rodriguez was taken into custody December 29 at the New Jersey State Police Sussex Barracks. State troopers arrested Lagunes on January 4 of this year in the Sussex Pizzeria, using a warrant issued in Ocean County. Roman was cuffed shortly afterward in his Sussex house by county Major Crimes Detective John Murphy and Lakewood Patrolman Chase Messer.

Charges are accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless, and until, found guilty in a court of law.