Pre-Trial Hearing For Murder Suspect To Begin Friday

A pre-trial hearing for a Newark man charged with the murder of his girlfriend is scheduled to begin this morning.

Jason Otis Monroe, 33, who to one count of murder at his last court appearance on Nov. 4, is to appear at the Fremont Hall of Justice at 9 a.m. in Department 605.

Monroe was on suspicion of murder after the stabbing death of , who was 25.

Newark police officers arrested Monroe around 11:30 a.m. April 27 in front of his home on the 36000 block of Cherry Street where he was found outside the one-story home with his clothes and hands covered in blood, according to a press release issued that day.

Contillo was found inside the home and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Family members and neighbors said Monroe and Contillo were a couple who were parents of two young boys. The pair, neighbors said, lived in the home with Monroe’s mother. 

Other court appearances (chronological order):

• April 29: Monroe appeared in court for an arraignment, but it was pushed to May 2: Judge Dennis McLaughlin ordered a mental evaluation after Monroe stated he had been taking a variety of antipsychotic drugs. It was also learned that Contillo had a restraining order against him at the time of her murder.
• May 4: Monroe appeared in court with Public Defender Kristen McCannon and after making dramatic statements in which he claimed his children were “caught in the middle of something horrific.”
• May 6: Monroe himself and McLaughlin accepted Monroe’s request to be represented by a public defender.
• May 18: Monroe , and a plea was scheduled for June.
• June 24: Monroe’s
• Sept. 1: Monroe’s
• Nov. 24: Monroe to one count of murder.

Articles after Monroe’s arrest:

Articles on Contillo: