New Jersey

Son Accused of Murdering Father After New Jersey House Goes Up in Flames

What to Know

  • A man was killed in a fire in Union Township, and homicide investigators were at the charred house Monday evening
  • The man lived at the home with his wife and children, neighbors said
  • Witnesses said they saw a person driving away from the home around the time of the fire

A 20-year-old New Jersey man has been arrested on murder and weapons-related offenses in the death of his 59-year-old father, whose body was found in a charred house in Union Township Monday. 

Jeff Adams surrendered to authorities hours after the flames were doused at the home on Van Ness Terrace, prosecutors said Tuesday. It's not clear how investigators believe the victim, Michael Adams, was killed. A medical examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine his cause of death. 

Firefighters found Michael Adams' body in the kitchen. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Neighbors say Michael Adams lived at the home with his wife and three children. Family members were seen consoling each other in front of the house as the sun set Monday. 

Witnesses said they saw a person speeding off in a car around the time of the fire. That person apparently crashed into a stop sign three blocks away and nearby schools were placed on lockdown. It's unclear if that was Jeff Adams. 

Authorities have not released information on a possible motive. Jeff Adams is expected to appear in court later this week. It wasn't known if he had retained an attorney who could comment on the allegations.

Contact Us