Matawan Man Accused Of Attempted Murder Was In Legal Battle With Victim

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — A Matawan man accused of stalking and firing a gun multiple times into an East Brunswick apartment is involved in a legal battle with the woman who lives there, according to a police affidavit.

The Matawan man is Sameh F. Kaldes, 43. He was arrested Friday by East Brunswick Police, and charged with two counts of attempted murder, stalking and other charges.

According to an affidavit released by the Middlesex County Prosecutor, Kaldes knew one of the three residents, a woman, who lived in the apartment on Cranbury Circle in East Brunswick. He and she were involved in a legal battle: The woman said she was bitten by Kaldes' dog while delivering packages to his home on Morristown Road in Matawan in May 2024.

The woman filed a police report for the dog bite. She also filed a civil lawsuit against Kaldes and a woman named Rita Kaldes on March 19 of this year. She is demanding they pay her medical bills from the dog bite, plus any additional expenses and legal fees.

Since that lawsuit was filed, police say Kaldes went to the woman's East Brunswick apartment many times in the month of April: He would peer through the apartment windows, and on multiple occasions he shone a blue laser pointer inside. Police say he did this to try and provoke the woman to come outside so he could take photos of her.

On three separate dates in April, Kaldes fired a gun in the direction of the apartment, said police. East Brunswick Police said they were called to the apartment each time for 911 calls of shots fired. Police said they located multiple bullet holes in the apartment's windows, siding, sliding door and walls.

After each shooting, Kaldes drove off, said police. But after the first shooting, on April 4, a witness told police they observed a dark blue van or SUV fleeing the area on Cranbury Road.

East Brunswick Police detectives investigating the case obtained video of a dark blue Mercedes parked in the shoulder of Cranbury Road, near the apartment. That car matched the same car parked in the driveway of Kaldes' Morristown Road home, and is registered to Kaldes' mother.

An automated license plate reader (ALPR) camera stationed at the intersection of Cranbury Road and Ryders Lane in East Brunswick showed that Mercedes in the area of the apartment five times between April 2 and April 11.

East Brunswick Police then found a video on Kaldes' Facebook page "that shows a blue laser pointer being activated inside a vehicle," read the affidavit.

In the second and third shootings, last Thursday and Friday, April 17 and 18, police say Kaldes drove to the apartment driving a different car, this time a blue Mazda bearing a license plate stolen out of Old Bridge on April 17. East Brunswick Police stopped the Mazda Friday and placed Kaldes under arrest.

A search of the car revealed two .22 caliber spent bullet cartridges as well as one .22 caliber cartridge, said police. Police say they also found a vile containing 6.6 grams of a white powder substance (suspected MDMA), and a crack pipe.

Police say they also found a blue laser pointer on Kaldes' person. In an interview with police after he was arrested, he told them he went to the woman's apartment complex numerous times and that he did shine a blue laser pointer inside her apartment, according to the affidavit.

Kaldes is charged with two counts of first-degree attempted murder for firing the gun. He is also charged with stalking, drug possession and one count of receiving stolen property for driving in the stolen blue Mazda.

Initial Patch report on this: Matawan Man Charged With Attempted Murder, Stalking In East Brunswick (April 21)

This is an active and ongoing investigation, and anyone with information or surveillance footage of the area is asked to contact Detective Michael Napoli of the East Brunswick Police Department at mnapoli@ebpd.net or 732-390-6990 or Detective Stephanie Redline of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-3300. Anonymous tips are welcome by calling 732-4EBTIPS (328477) or emailing tips@ebpd.net.

Get great local news. Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com