the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Garfield NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the investigation of a homicide that occurred at 27 MacArthur Avenue, Garfield, NJ. The investigation is being conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti, the Garfield Police Department under the direction of Chief Raymond Kovach, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office under the direction of Sheriff Anthony Cureton, and the New Jersey Transit Police Department under the direction of Chief Christopher Trucillo.
On Saturday, January 19, 2019, the Garfield Police Department received a 9-1-1 call of a pedestrian that was struck by a train in the area of Hobart Street. The person struck was identified as Manuel Ortega-Pimentel (DOB: 3/29/1963, 27 MacArthur Avenue, Garfield, NJ, unemployed). He was declared deceased at the scene. The investigation revealed that Ortega-Pimentel ran into the path of the train at the railroad crossing. During an attempt to locate next of kin for Ortega-Pimentel, a check of his last known address was conducted and the basement apartment was checked by a resident of the first floor. A deceased male was found in the basement apartment at that time. The male was later identified as Manuel Buri (DOB: 8/26/1993, 27 MacArthur Avenue, Garfield, NJ, photographer). The Garfield Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the crime scene was secured.
Manuel Buri was transported to the Bergen County Medical Examiner’s Office for a post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause of death. The investigation and examination revealed that Manuel Buri suffered multiple blunt force trauma to the head, and his death was determined to be a homicide. That investigation is ongoing.
Manuel Ortega-Pimentel was also transported to the Bergen County Medical Examiner’s Office for a post-mortem examination, and his death was determined to be a suicide.
Acting Prosecutor Calo would like to thank the Garfield Police Department, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, and the New Jersey Transit Police Department for their assistance in this investigation.