Keansburg Man Indicted on Murder Charge for Alleged Baseball Bat Attack in Cemetery

A Keansburg man is charged with murder and other offenses contained in a five-count indictment handed up Monday by a Monmouth County grand jury, according to Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Robert Hesse, 34, whose last known address was on Laurel Avenue in Keansburg, is charged with first degree Murder and related third and fourth degree weapons offenses, according to a press release from the Prosecutor's Office. Additionally, he is charged with second and fourth degree counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child by the distribution and possession of child pornography.

Hesse is charged with using a baseball bat to beat his victim to death inside a Keansburg cemetery, the Old Truex Burying Ground, on August 8, 2012.

In conjunction with the murder charge, the Grand Jury found as an aggravating factor that Hesse committed the murder for the purpose of “escaping detection, apprehension, trial, punishment or confinement for another offense.” As a result, if convicted of murder, Hesse faces a maximum sentence of life in New Jersey State Prison without the possibility of parole.

Hesse faces a maximum exposure of up to ten years in state prison on the second degree Murder charge; up to five years in prison on the third degree weapons charge; and up to 18 months in prison for each of the fourth degree Endangering and weapons charges.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutors Andrew S. Fried and Danielle Zanzuccki. Hesse is represented by Sarah H. Surgent, Esq. of Freehold.

An indictment does not indicate a conviction. All defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt following a fair trial.