Two Teens Charged With The Long Branch Shooting Death Of A Man
Wednesday, July 2, 2025, 7:00 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
LONG BRANCH, NJ.- Following an investigation, a New Jersey juvenile and an 18-year-old Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, man have been taken into custody and formally charged in connection with fatally gunning down an 18-year-old North Brunswick, New Jersey, man early last month on the Long Branch Pier Village beach.
According to Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago, the juvenile, whose name is being withheld due to his age, is currently being detained at a juvenile detention center and has been charged with juvenile delinquency, constituting first-degree Murder; Conspiracy to Commit Unlawful Possession of a Weapon; Unlawful Possession of a Weapon; Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose; Possession of a Prohibited Weapon; and Hindering Apprehension or Prosecution.
Dwayne Exilus, 18, of Woodbridge, New Jersey, was formally charged with second-degree Conspiracy to Commit Unlawful Possession of a Weapon; second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon; third-degree Hindering Apprehension or Prosecution; and fourth-degree Possession of a Prohibited Weapon.
The arrests and charges stem from an investigation that began on Thursday, June 12, 2025, when, just minutes before 9:00 p.m., members of the Long Branch Police Department responded to a report of gunfire on the beach between the shoreline and the boardwalk of Pier Village. Upon arrival, Police Officers found a man, later identified as Chrystofer A. Whyte, 18, of North Brunswick, New Jersey, having succumbed to a single gunshot wound. Mr. Whyte was subsequently pronounced deceased at the scene.
During the ensuing investigation, Detectives of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Long Branch Police Department were able to identify the juvenile and Exilus as the individuals responsible for the shooting death of Mr. Whyte.
The investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with additional information regarding the fatal shooting of Mr. Whyte is urged to contact Detective Thomas Manzo of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-800-533-7443 or Detective Joseph Spitale of the Long Branch Police Department at (732) 222-1000 Ext. 1339. All calls and information will be kept confidential.
“The rules of the court require us to include a statement that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.”
