MAYWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT

For Immediate Release:

February 18, 2021

 

Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of AUGUSTO GOMEZ-PEREZ (DOB: 9/01/1950; married; unemployed) of 1801 43rd Street, North Bergen, New Jersey on charges of Murder, Possession Of A Weapon For An Unlawful Purpose, and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, and JORGE A. SANCHEZ-VALDEZ (DOB: 1/31/1973; married; unemployed) of 132 71st Street, Ground Floor, Guttenburg, New Jersey on a charge of Hindering His Own Apprehension. The arrests are the result of an investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office under the direction of Sheriff Anthony Cureton, and the Maywood Police Department under the direction of Chief Terence Kenny.

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On Tuesday, February 16, 2021 at approximately 6:05 p.m., the Paramus Police Department received a 911 call reporting an injured party in the area of the Bergen Towne Center mall located at 45 West Spring Valley Avenue, Maywood, New Jersey. Upon arrival to the area, officers found a 64-year-old male, Omar Cruz of 26 Milner Avenue, Albany, New York, with stab wounds. He was transported to the Hackensack University Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.

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An investigation conducted by detectives from the Maywood Police Department and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit was initiated and revealed that AUGUSTO GOMEZ-PEREZ murdered Omar Cruz. The investigation also revealed that JORGE A. SANCHEZ-VALDEZ hindered his own apprehension.

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On Wednesday, February 17, 2021, AUGUSTO GOMEZ-PEREZ was arrested and charged with one count of Murder, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3A(1), a 1st degree crime; one count of Possession Of A Weapon For An Unlawful Purpose, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4d, a 3rd degree crime; one count of Hindering in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3B1, a 3rd degree crime; and one count of Unlawful Possession Of A Weapon, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5d, a 4th degree crime. JORGE A. SANCHEZ-VALDEZ was arrested and charged with one count of Hindering, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3b4, a 3rd degree crime. They were remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, NJ.

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Prosecutor Musella states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and he would like to thank the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and the Maywood Police Department for their assistance in this investigation.