TOMS RIVER, NJ — In a case that has captivated and horrified the local community, a New Jersey man has been sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the premeditated murder of his father, a crime prosecutors said was fueled by deep-seated grievances and financial disputes.
34-year-old Mark J. Austin, who resided in Brick Township, received the maximum sentence from Ocean County Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan on Thursday, following his October conviction for murder and illegal possession of a weapon. In September 2019, Austin executed a sinister plot that led to the death of his father, Mark Richard Austin, in the elder Austin’s home.
The severity of the sentence reflects the brutal nature of the crime, which emerged from a disturbing murder-for-hire arrangement. According to authorities, Austin hired Jeray Melton, an old acquaintance from their days in a juvenile detention facility, to kill his father. Melton, who is also 34, testified that he was promised $50,000 for the murder but was compensated with only minimal amounts of cash and marijuana after carrying out the attack using a baseball bat.
Evidence presented during the trial painted a grim picture of the motives behind the elder Austin’s murder. The prosecution argued that the younger Austin harbored long-standing resentments and disagreements with his father over money matters, along with allegations of mistreatment during his childhood.
Attempting to create a false alibi, Mark J. Austin went to Philadelphia, purportedly to buy cheesesteaks, on the day of the murder, and sent a text to his father offering to bring one back for him—a message sent after his father had already been killed. The investigation revealed that both their cellphones were tracked moving together toward Salem, New Jersey, implying that the victim’s phone had been removed from the murder scene.
Melton’s testimony also detailed his role in trying to cover up the crime, including disposing of his blood-stained clothing and following Austin’s instructions to use bleach in an attempt to destroy evidence. However, their efforts to conceal the crime were quickly thwarted as law enforcement discovered the murder weapon and other incriminating evidence at the crime scene.
During the trial, witnesses recounted the grim discovery of the senior Austin’s body left on a couch, a visual that underscored the cold-blooded nature of the murder. Following his arrest, Melton struck a plea deal with prosecutors, admitting to aggravated manslaughter in exchange for his testimony against Austin, which leaves him facing a sentence ranging from 10 to 30 years.
In a final bid to sway the court, Austin maintained his innocence and read a prepared statement in which he portrayed his father as a beloved family member. Efforts by his loved ones to defend him, including a character reference from his mother’s fiancé who cited Austin’s past as an Eagle Scout, were insufficient to counter the weight of evidence. Moreover, the presiding judge dismissed suggestions of employing polygraph tests, citing New Jersey legal precedents on their unreliability.
With the jury’s verdict and the subsequent harsh sentence, the court has effectively removed Mark J. Austin from society, declaring a resolute end to a chilling saga of familial betrayal and violence.