A 34-year-old Morris County man is accused of manslaughter after allegedly beating a homeless man to death with a rock.
Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, and Dover Police Department Chief Jonathan Delaney launched the investigation after officers found a deceased male on the railroad tracks near West Clinton Street, Dover, New Jersey, on July 26, 2023.
Wilfredo Cabrera-Masariegos, of Dover, was charged with single counts of second-degree manslaughter, third-degree possession of a weapon, and unlawful possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
Prosecutors say he attacked Rene Rivera Hernandez, 47, on the tracks under a highway bridge sometime between late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning.
Just before 2 a.m. on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, Dover Police officers responded to the railroad tracks near West Clinton Street in Dover, where they found Hernandez’s body.
“An examination by the Morris County Medical Examiner’s Office revealed blunt force injury to the victim’s head, and the manner of death has been ruled homicide,” said the prosecutor’s office. “It is alleged Cabrera-Masariegos struck the victim in the head with a rock and fled the scene.”
Hernandez was described as “a homeless individual who frequented the Dover area.”
Cabrera-Masariegos was charged with
The investigation is active and ongoing but authorities said there is no threat to the public at this time. Cabrera-Masariegos is being held at the Morris County jail.
Numerous law enforcement agencies are participating in this investigation, including members of the Dover Police Department, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 973-285-6200 or the Dover Police Department at 973-366-2200.
Media inquiries concerning this press release should be directed to mknab@co.morris.nj.us.