Man Charged with Homicide in Franklin Township

FRANKLIN TWP, N.J. – Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Acting Chief of County Detectives Meredith McKay, and Franklin Township Public Safety Director Lloyd Fredericks announce the arrest of Keith Demery, age 54 of Ellenwood, Georgia in relation to a homicide which is believed to have occurred during the early morning hours of May 2, 2026.

Prosecutor McDonald stated that on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at approximately 6:00 a.m. Franklin Township Police Department received a call from an individual identifying himself as Keith Demery requesting an officer respond to his location, a hotel on Davidson Avenue for a report of injuries. Franklin Township Police officers responded to the scene and met with Demery who directed the officers to his vehicle which was parked in the rear parking lot. Upon approaching the vehicle, responding officers located an unresponsive female victim in the front passenger seat. The female victim was subsequently pronounced deceased at the scene. 

Demery was detained by Franklin Township Police Officers and transported to a local hospital for medical evaluation and treatment of minor injuries. Demery was subsequently released from the hospital and transported by Franklin Township Police officers to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.

Prosecutor McDonald stated that detectives from the Franklin Township Police Department along with detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, the Crime Scene Investigations Unit, and Medical Investigators from the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office responded to the scene to conduct the investigation. A postmortem examination will be performed by the Medical Examiner’s Office to positively identify the victim and to determine the cause and manner of death.

Authorities have not released the identity of the female victim pending positive identification by the Medical Examiner’s Office. The investigation remains ongoing.

Prosecutor McDonald stated on Saturday, May 2, 2026, as a result of this investigation, Keith Demery was charged with 1st degree, Murder and 3rd degree, Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose. Defendant Demery was processed on these charges and transported to the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing on this matter.

Prosecutor McDonald, Acting Chief McKay, and Public Safety Director Fredericks request anyone with information relating to this investigation to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (908) 231-7100 or the Franklin Township Police Department at (732) 873-5533 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smart phone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ. Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or to SCPO.TIPS. All anonymous STOPit reports, and tips will be kept confidential.

NOTE: The charges are merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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