FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson, Chief of County Detectives John W. Fodor, and Franklin Township Chief of Police Richard A. Grammar announced the arrest of Dalton Chiscolm Jr., 60, of Haverhill Place, Somerset.
Officials charged Dalton Chiscolm Jr. with the homicide death of his mother, Ms. Roberta Ann Taylor, 82, of Haverhill Place, Somerset.
Prosecutor Robertson stated that on Wednesday, November 7, at approximately 10:46 p.m., Franklin Township Police responded to a 9-1-1 call reporting a disturbance at a residence on Haverhill Place, Somerset.
Officials say upon arrival, initial responding patrol officers encountered a male, who was later identified as Dalton Chiscolm Jr., throwing various household items from a second-floor window and yelling threats at the responding officers. Additional Franklin Township Police responded to the scene which consisted of Franklin Township Police detectives, along with Franklin Township Police Emergency Services Unit personnel.
According to officials, responding officers attempted to de-escalate the situation with Chiscolm who refused to cooperate with the officers. Officers at the scene were made aware that Chiscolm resided at the residence along with his 82-year-old mother, Roberta Ann Taylor.
Prosecutor Robertson stated that due to the behavior demonstrated by Chiscolm to responding officers, a decision was made to make entry into the residence to check on the well-being of Ms. Taylor. Upon making entry into the residence, officers located Ms. Taylor dead according to officials.
Police took Chiscolm into custody without any further incident and transported to an area hospital for medical evaluation. Ms. Taylor was pronounced deceased at the scene by medical personnel.
Prosecutor Robertson stated that detectives from the Franklin Township Police Department, detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Crime Scene Investigations Unit, and investigators from the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office responded to conduct the investigation and process the crime scene.
The Regional Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy on Thursday morning, November 8, 2018. The medical examiner noted the cause and manner of death as blunt force trauma to the head, ruling the death a homicide. The investigation is still on-going in an attempt to determine the motive.
Prosecutor Robertson stated that defendant Chiscolm has been charged with first-degree Homicide and remained under police guard at an area hospital. Defendant Chiscolm will be transported to the Somerset County Jail once released from the hospital, pending a bail detention hearing.
Prosecutor Robertson, Chief Fodor, and Chief Grammar request anyone with information relating to this homicide to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at (908) 231-7100, or the Franklin Township Police Department at (732) 873-5533