Manhattan Man Pleads Guilty to Freehold Murder

A New York resident has pleaded guilty for his role in the murder of a brother and sister in Freehold Borough during a 2010 armed robbery.

Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced that Dong Biao Lin, 27, pleaded guilty to his part in the murders of a brother and sister in their South Street home.

Gramiccioni said on the evening of June 16, 2010 the Freehold Borough Police Department responded to a call of an injured man on South Street and found 39-year-old Yao Chen in the street in front of his residence. At the time Chen was reportedly conscious and attempting to move but had his hands bound.

Chen suffered multiple knife injuries including to his neck and abdomen and was bleeding profusely when officers located him. He was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center where he died. His sister, 28-year-old Yun Juan Chen, was found in a bedroom in the house having already died from her injuries during the robbery.

Officers on the scene were told of two young Asian males on Main Street who appeared to have been in an altercation according to the prosecutor. After descriptions of the men were sent to local law enforcement they were located by members of the Freehold Township Police Department near Route 9.

An investigation was conducted by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Freehold Borough Police Department with assistance from the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office the police departments in Freehold Township, Tinton Falls and Piscataway.

The investigation revealed that Lin worked in a local restaurant owned by the Chen family and broke into the house believing there was a “significant quantity of cash,” in the house. Other members of the family were working at the restaurant at the time of the robbery when the victims were reportedly attacked before the suspects fled.

Lin pleaded guilty to two counts of first degree murder  and two counts of first degree felony murder. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24 by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Richard W. English.

With the plea Lin faces a life sentence and will be subject to the No Early Release Act, requiring him to serve 85 percent or 67 and one half years before being eligible for parole. He would then be under parole supervision for 10 years following his release.

A second defendant in the case, Zeng Liang Chen is scheduled for a status conference on his case next month according to Gramiccioni. Gramiccioni said Mr. and Mrs. Chen were related by marriage but Zeng Liang Chen is not related to either.

The case is being handled by First Assistant Prosecutor Marc LeMieux. Lin is being represented by Maria Noto of Matawan and Chen is represented by Raymond Santiago of Freehold.