A man is facing charges after another man was found fatally stabbed inside a home in New Jersey, police said.
Authorities were called on Thursday to perform a welfare check at the residence in New Milford, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office said in a press release. When they arrived on the scene around 3 a.m., they were greeted by Justin Wilhelm. He was seated on the front porch and had what appeared to be blood on his hands. Officials also noted that he was the one who called 911.
A subsequent search of the home, located on River Road, turned up the body of 24-year-old Mateo Ocho-Gonzalez. He was found on the second floor, suffering from multiple stab wounds to the chest and neck, according to the prosecutor’s office. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
It is unclear, what, if any relationship the victim had with Wilhelm, police said.
Wilhelm was arrested on the scene and transported to an area hospital for an evaluation. He’s facing a first-degree murder charge in connection with Ocho-Gonzalez’s slaying in addition to possessing narcotics and weapons offenses, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Members of the community were left rattled by the deadly violence. Resident Edar Bineta said he was shocked when he hear the news.
“It’s something that we never had in this neighborhood,” he told News 12 New Jersey. “We all know each other.”
Few other details about the case have been provided. An investigation into the matter is ongoing.
