Crime

N.J. man accused of strangling missing teen, throwing body off bridge

February 2, 2017 / 6:22 PM EST / AP

FREEHOLD, N.J. - A New Jersey man has been charged with strangling a young woman during a robbery and then throwing her dead body off a nearby bridge with another man.

Liam McAtasney (left) is accused of killing Sarah Stern; Preston Taylor (right) is accused of desecration of a body for allegedly helping to dump Stern’s body Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office

Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni announced Thursday that 19-year-old Liam McAtasney, of Neptune City, was charged with murder in the death of 19-year-old Sarah Stern.

Stern had been missing since Dec. 3 after her car was found with keys in the ignition on a bridge over the Shark River in Belmar.

Prosecutors say that 19-year-old Preston Taylor, also of Neptune City, was charged with desecration of human remains after they say he helped dump Stern’s body.

Her body has not yet been found.

It wasn’t immediately known if the men had attorneys to comment on their behalf.