Brick Man Charged in Somerville Home Invasion, Stabbing

A 24-year-old Brick man is facing assault, burglary and robbery charges in connection with a September 2010 home invasion in Somerville.

Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey D. Soriano announced the charges against Mark D. Walker of Mulberry Place, Brick, on Thursday. Walker has yet to be apprehended by police, according to a statement from the prosecutor's office.

According to the prosecutor's office, a Somerville man called police shortly before 1 a.m. Sept. 17 reporting a home invasion. When they arrived at the Cliff Street home, responding officers found the male caller bleeding from a laceration to his neck and stab wounds to his shoulder and leg.

The victim reported that his attacker knocked on his front door and asked for directions to the police station. The suspect left the area and returned approximately 10 minutes later when the victim heard several loud bangs and the sound of breaking glass coming from the area of his front door. The suspect stormed into the victim's apartment, pointed a handgun at him and demanded his car keys. As the victim was searching for his car keys, the intruder took the victim's cell phone and then removed a black knife from his belt and began to slash and stab the victim. The suspect left the residence, at which point the victim called the police.

Paramedics transported the victim to Somerset Medical Center for emergency medical treatment, Soriano said.

An investigation into the home invasion revealed that blood stains from the intruder were located on the broken glass of the front door. A blood sample was submitted to the New Jersey State Police Central Regional Laboratory for forensic analysis, according to prosecutors, which revealed that Walker was the DNA source for the blood collected from the front door.

Considered armed and dangerous, Walker is described as a black male with black hair and brown eyes, 6-foot, 2-inches tall, weighing approximately 195-pounds. Soriano said he should not approached.

Detectives are asking anyone who knows the whereabouts of defendant Walker to contact either the Somerville Borough Police Department at 908-725-0331, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Squad at 908-231-7100, or the Somerset County Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or online at www.888577tips.org or www.scpo.net. All calls are confidential.