Red Bank man suspect in Long Branch stabbings

RED BANK - - A Red Bank man was arrested last week in connection with the stabbing of two Long Branch residents.

Juan Jacinto Palapa, 19, West Street, was taken into custody Feb. 28 at his home and charged with two counts of attempted murder, a first-degree crime, for allegedly stabbing a man, whose name and age have not been released, and a woman, 22, at a home on West End Avenue in Long Branch.

Palapa is also charged with two counts of aggravated assault, a second-degree crime, and two counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, a third-degree crime, according to a press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

"At approximately 12:48 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 28," the release states, "police received two 911 calls summoning them to a home on West End Avenue in Long Branch. Upon responding to the location, police found two victims of a stabbing. Both were bleeding profusely and incurred life-threatening injuries."

According to the Prosecutor's Office, both victims were transported to a local hospital, where, as of last Thursday, the woman was listed in stable condition and the man in critical condition.

Long Branch police who responded to the scene sent out a description of the assailant to their department and other area police departments were notified, according to the release.

Information soon led the police to Red Bank, where officers of the Red Bank Police Department identified the residence of the suspect and located him inside his West Street home.

A knife, believed to have been used in the stabbing, was also recovered by police.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, the attempted murder and aggravated assault charges are subject to the No Early Release Act (NERA), which requires that if Palapa is convicted, he must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence imposed.

Superior Court Judge Paul F. Chaiet set the total bail for the defendant at $1 million, cash only.