Monmouth Co. Woman Gets 3 Years In Prison For Killing Boyfriend

NEPTUNE, NJ - A Neptune woman was sentenced to three years in state prison for the fatal stabbing of her boyfriend, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Mark Spivey confirmed to Patch.

While Monique Moore initially claimed self-defense and admitted to stabbing Joseph Wilson Jr. in November 2016, she withdrew her claim and pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and the murder charge was dropped, per the Asbury Park Press.

The publication noted that, during her March trial, Moore claimed to defend herself from her then-boyfriend. Her counsel also said he found her boyfriend was named in two domestic violence reports at the Brick home of his girlfriend at the time, Natasha Johnson.

But prosecutors argued that Moore was obsessed with her then-boyfriend and became violent once he tried to break up with her, the Press added.

If convicted of murder, Moore would’ve faced up to 30 years to life in prison. Still, 85 percent of Moore’s prison term is to be served before the possibility of parole under New Jersey’s No Early Release Act (NERA), Spivey said.

Moore had been free on $200,000 bail since December 2016, the Asbury Park Press added.

Neptune police received a number of 911 calls around 11:02 p.m. on Nov. 27 reporting a stabbing, only to find Wilson, 29, of Neptune, critically injured outside near an apartment on Heck Avenue, prosecutors said at the time.

Police and Neptune Emergency Medical Services began lifesaving efforts during his transport to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, but he was pronounced dead at 12:45 a.m. on Nov. 28, officials said.

Neptune Township Police and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office soon determined that Wilson had been stabbed by Moore during a dispute they were having inside her apartment.