Monmouth County Grand Jury Indicts Neptune Man Accused Of Murdering Sarah Stern

FREEHOLD, NJ - A Monmouth County grand jury has indicted the man accused of strangling his friend Sarah Stern on numerous charges - including first degree murder.

The grand jury handed up the indictment on Monday, the same day Liam McAtasney's accomplice Preston Taylor pleaded guilty to a number of charges for his part in the actions that led to Stern's death. Taylor's guilty plea calls for him to testify against McAtasney.

McAtasney is accused of first-degree murder, robbery, felony murder, conspiracy, disturbing or desecrating human remains, tampering with physical evidence and hindering apprehension of oneself, according to the indictment released by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

Authorities plan to seek life in prison without the possibility of parole for McAtasney, according to the Asbury Park Press.

"We're a long way away from trial," Charles Moriarty, McAtasney's attorney, told app.com said in a telephone interview Monday. "All I can tell you is my client had nothing to do with it."

The indictment alleges that McAtasney murdered Stern on Dec. 2 during the course of a robbery, according to Christopher Decker and Meghan Doyle, assistant Monmouth County prosecutors. That would be an aggravating factor that exposes McAtasney to life in prison without the possibility of parole, if he is convicted.

Taylor pleaded guilty to six charges in the Stern murder case, which include robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, disturbing or desecrating human remains, tampering with physical evidence and two counts of hindering apprehension.

McAtasney had learned that Sarah had inherited money from her grandmother. The two began to plot a robbery. But McAtasney strangled her after he took the money.

Taylor admitted helping McAtasney throw Stern's body off the Belmar bridge and help to create the impression that Stern had committed suicide, all for a 30 percent cut of the robbery proceeds, or $3,000.

Authorities said if Taylor does not fully cooperate in the case, the state will take back its plea bargain and prosecute him for felony murder, for which he would face 30 years to life in prison, as well as all of the other offenses he pleaded guilty to.

Decker said he will recommend Taylor receive a 20-year prison term if he cooperates in the prosecution. Superior Court Judge Richard W. English, who accepted Taylor's plea, told the defendant that without the agreement, he would face 51 1/2 years in state prison.

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Image: Patch file photo