FREEHOLD – A Monmouth County grand jury has returned an eight-count indictment charging a Long Branch man with the August fatal shooting of 45-year-old Marco Moreira and the attempted murder of Fernanda Silva inside the Bom DMais restaurant located at 545 Broadway, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Miguel L. Camara, 40, of Chelsea Avenue in Long Branch, is charged in the indictment handed up Wednesday with first degree Murder, first degree Attempted Murder, second degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, second degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, fourth degree Aggravated Assault by Pointing a Firearm, second degree Disarming a Law Enforcement Officer, third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and fourth degree Contempt.
On August 21, 2018 at approximately 3:15 p.m., Long Branch Police Officer George Samol was flagged down by a motorist on Broadway who reported a fight inside the Bom DMais restaurant and a shot fired through the front window. Officer Samol responded to the restaurant and observed two males and one female wrestling with Camara who was holding a gun. Officer Samol unholstered his duty weapon and ordered Camara to drop the weapon. As the 18 year old son of Fernanda Silva was able to gain control over Camara’s gun, Camara immediately turned to Officer Samol and grabbed ahold of his duty weapon, trying to take possession of it. Officer Samol was able to wrestle the gun from Camara as additional officers arrived on scene. After Camara was placed under arrest, officers observed the victim, Marco Moreira lying deceased on the floor of the business. He was pronounced dead at 3:38 p.m.
A joint investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Long Branch Police Department determined Camara entered the Bom DMais restaurant and approached the table where his ex-girlfriend Fernanda Silva, her two children ages 18 and 5, and Marco Moreira were seated. Camara threw a court document on the table, pulled out a handgun and pointed it at Marco Moreira’s head several times before shooting him. A struggle then ensued between Silva, her 18 year old son and Camara for the gun. During the struggle Camara repeatedly pointed the gun at Silva, firing it twice but missing her. Silva’s five year old daughter was a few feet away during the struggle.
If convicted of Murder, Camara faces a minimum sentence of 30 years in a New Jersey state prison without parole and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, subject to the provisions of the “No Early Release Act” (NERA) requiring him to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. He would also be under parole supervision for five years following his release from state prison.
If convicted of Attempted Murder, Camara faces a sentence of up to 20 years in a state prison, also subject to the provisions of the NERA. If convicted of Disarming a Law Enforcement Officer, Camara faces up to 10 years state prison, also subject to the provisions of the NERA.
If convicted of the second degree weapons offenses, Camara faces a sentence of five to ten years in prison, and pursuant to the “Graves Act” there is a mandatory period of parole ineligibility of one half of the custodial sentence imposed, or 42 months, whichever is greater. If convicted of the fourth degree Aggravated Assault by Pointing a Firearm, Camara faces up to 18 months in state prison and pursuant to the “Graves Act” there is a mandatory period of parole ineligibility of 18 months. If convicted of the third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Camara faces up to five years in state prison. If convicted of the fourth degree Contempt, Camara faces up to 18 months in state prison.
The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Hoda Soliman and Emily Cartmell.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.
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