Shark River Home Invasion Suspect Arrested in Puerto Rico

A Lakewood man is in the process of being extradicted from Puerto Rico to face charges in a violent 2011 home invasion robbery in Shark River Hills that left one of the residents shot several times and laying in the street.

26-year-old Melvin Morales faces attempted murder, armed robbery and firearms charges. Monmouth County Prosecutor Peter Warshaw says an Investigation into a November 15th incident on Clinton Place led them to name Morales as the suspect who entered the victim's home armed with a handgun and shoot the victim several times when he attempted to defend himself. Another resident saw the victim laying in the street in front of the home and called 9-1-1.

Warshaw says his office, Neptune Township Police, Monmouth County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Marshal's Service had been searching for Morales since the issuance of arrest warrants against him. Morales was eventually located in Puerto Rico, where he was born and has family and arrested him on May 24th.

He has an extradition hearing in Puerto Rico on June 7th. Once he is returned to Monmouth County, Morales will appear before the State Superior Court Judge Honorable Thomas F. Scully for an initial appearance where bail will be set.