A 39-year-old Kearny man has been arrested in connection with the Tuesday, Sept. 20, Belgrove Drive homicide, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit has charged Elliot Barton, 39, of Kearny, with one count of desecrating/disturbing human remains, a crime of the second degree. He was arrested at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Tuesday, Sept. 20, and transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility pending his first court appearance.
On Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022, at approximately 5:45 a.m., the Kearny Police Department received a 911 call regarding an individual lying on the ground in the area of Belgrove Drive and Afton Street. Responding officers located a male victim — later identified as Corey McFadden, 34, of Kearny — with multiple apparent stab wounds to the lower body.
He was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:20 a.m. and the cause and manner of death are pending the findings of the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office.
Additional charges and/or arrests may be forthcoming.
Because of the charges levied against Barton, it is likely — thought not absolutely certain — he moved the victim’s body at some point yesterday from one spot to the location where he was found.
Police records indicate Barton is a registered, convicted Tier 2 sex offender, who in 2011 was convicted of sexually assaulting a girl, aged 5-6, on multiple occasions.
The Homicide Unit and the Kearny Police Department are actively investigating this case. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office at (201) 915-1345 or to leave an anonymous tip at www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip. All information is kept confidential.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.