A local man has been arrested and charged in connection with the fatal stabbing that took place in Elizabeth earlier this week, acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo and Elizabeth Police Department Chief Giacomo Sacca and Director Earl Graves jointly announced Friday.
Jose Luis Estevez Castillo, 21, is charged with first-degree murder and two related weapons offenses in connection with the death of 39-year-old Jermaine Brockington.
Around midday on Wednesday, November 25, members of the Elizabeth Police Department responded to the 100 block of Third Street in Elizabeth and found Brockington at that location, having sustained serious injury, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Bruce Holmes, who is prosecuting the case. Brockington was then transported to Trinitas Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 1 p.m.
Castillo was located and detained by Chief Sacca and Elizabeth Police Department Detective Luis Figueiredo shortly after they arrived at the scene, and charges were filed the same day thanks to a fast-moving investigation by members of the Elizabeth Police Department, Union County Homicide Task Force, and Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit. Castillo was then lodged in the Union County Jail pending a first appearance and detention hearing to take place in Superior Court.
Anyone with information about this matter is still urged to contact Prosecutor’s Office Detective Richard Acosta at 908-347-0404, Sgt. Danika Ramos at 908-451-7739, or Elizabeth Police Department Detective Jose Martinez at 908-558-2118.
“I want to commend Chief Sacca and the extraordinarily swift police response that almost immediately led to an arrest in this case earlier this week,” Prosecutor Ruotolo said. “This was a rapidly unfolding joint investigation that produced excellent results, thanks to the well-coordinated, cooperative efforts of multiple agencies.”
Convictions on crimes of this nature are commonly punishable by terms of up to life in state prison.
These criminal charges are mere accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.