Teen charged with Adrian Anderson’s murder

Long Branch, NJ – An 18-year-old city resident has been charged with the murder of Adrian Anderson.

Man charged with Adrian Anderson murder

Dante Strong has been charged with murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon, in connection with the shooting death of 23-year-old Adrian Anderson.

Anderson, 23, was shot and killed on his front porch on Liberty Street.

After the killing, family and neighbors remembered Anderson as a “nice kid” and said he was a hard worker. Anderson lived at the home where he was shot and had two children, according to a cousin who did not wish to give her name.

“He was a good guy, he loved his two kids, worked hard and bothered nobody,” the cousin said.

Strong is being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI) in lieu of $850,000 cash only bail, set by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Richard W. English, J.S.C.

Monmouth County Prosecutor’s said Long Branch Police Officers heard gunshots around 2:29 on the morning of the murder and found Anderson on the front porch of 135 Liberty St., unconscious and bleeding from several gunshot wounds. He was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 5:22 a.m.

A subsequent joint investigation of the Long Branch Police and Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office was able to link Strong to an armed robbery the morning before the shooting, near the intersection of Central Avenue and Ellis Avenue in Long Branch, less than one block from where Anderson was killed, Gramiccioni said.

Strong was arrested in connection with the robbery on Oct. 3, and was charged with two counts of armed robbery, possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a firearm. He was lodged in MCCI on $600,000 cash only bail, set by Judge English.

The joint homicide investigation continued while strong was in jail and led to his arrest on Nov. 7.’

Strong is facing 30 years to life in state prison if convicted of the murder charges and a maximum of 10 years for each of the weapons charges.

Police are still asking anyone with information related to this investigation to call Long Branch Police Det. Todd Coleman at 732-222-1000 or Det. Andrea Tozzi of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-800-533-7443.