Perth Amboy man charged with first-degree murder

By Alvin Wu
Domestic Affairs
Perth Amboy man charged with first-degree murder

The arrest warrant for Raymond Maldonado for first-degree murder and a restraining order violation in connection with the June 30 homicide in Perth Amboy. MIDDLESEX COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE/Court Documents

July 9 (ZFJ) — Raymond Maldonado, 34, of Perth Amboy has been charged in connection with a June 30 homicide in Perth Amboy, announced authorities on July 1.

According to a criminal complaint, on June 30, at about 1:12 p.m., the Perth Amboy Police Department received a 911 call from a relative who said that she went to the victim’s home to check on her and found her unresponsive on the living room floor with bruising and blood around her face.

Police responded to the residence on State Street and found the victim, Awilda Verrette, 80, on the floor with bruising on her face and a large amount of blood around her head area.

Witnesses identified Maldonado, who lived in the attic, as a suspect. One witness said that she saw Maldonado with the victim the day before. The witness reported that she had been dropping off food when she overheard him aggressively yelling at the victim inside the house.

Detectives obtained a search warrant over the phone and searched the house. They confiscated several cell phones and other items for further investigation from the victim’s residence. They did not find signs of forced entry or missing valuables in the victim’s house, which was inconsistent with a burglary.

The victim’s injuries were identified on the right and left side of her face, so her death was ruled a homicide by blunt impact trauma to the head.

Police located Maldonado on July 1. According to an affidavit, Maldonado was “inconsistent and disoriented with his answers” but said that he’d last seen the victim on June 30. Detectives observed that he had redness, swelling, and bruising on his hands, apparently consistent with him striking someone, and he was vague regarding the cause of his injuries.

Maldonado, the victim’s grandson, was arrested without incident and charged with first-degree murder and fourth-degree contempt—violation of a restraining order. He is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center.

The investigation is active and ongoing, and anyone with information or surveillance footage of the area is asked to call Detective Jeremy Harris of the Perth Amboy Police Department at (732) 324-3800 or Detective Jose Rosario of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3289.

The charges against Maldonado are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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