BELMAR — The search resumed Saturday morning for the body of Sarah Stern, a Monmouth County teen authorities say was killed by a former classmate before her body was tossed into the Shark River in Belmar.
The activity at the Shark River Inlet near the ocean marks the second consecutive day of searching for Stern’s body since authorities announced on Thursday the arrest of two of her former classmates in connection with her death.
New Jersey State Police were out with boats and a helicopter Saturday conducting the search, said Trooper Alejandro Goez, a State Police spokesman.
Until the arrests on Wednesday of Liam McAtasney and Preston Taylor, Stern’s family and friends had hoped she would be found safe and unharmed.
But Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni has said McAtasney strangled Stern, 19, on Dec. 2 in her Neptune City home while robbing her of thousands of dollars. After the killing, McAtasney called Taylor to help him dispose of her body, the prosecutor has said.
Timeline of the disappearance and killing of Sarah Stern
Her father, Michael Stern, has said the three grew up together, attended school together and hung out from time to time after graduation.
Using Stern’s car, the two 19-year-old friends from Neptune City drove Stern’s body about a mile to the crest of Route 35 bridge in Belmar and tossed her body over the side early the following morning, authorities allege.
The 1994 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight, which was registered to her grandmother but used by Stern, was found unoccupied and with the keys in it.
New Jersey State Police and the U.S. Coast Guard along with county and local authorities searched the river by air and water that day but could not find her.
A week later, hundreds of friends, relatives and strangers – moved by her story – fanned out along the nearby beaches to conduct their own search.
McAtasney and Taylor were among them.
For two months, investigators followed several leads but couldn’t determine whether she was a victim of foul play or a runaway.
Gramiccioni isn’t saying what led investigators to the pair. After charging them, authorities again resumed the river search on Friday.
“We’re hopeful. We’re looking for some kind of miracle,” Gramiccioni said Friday. “I freely admit it’s going to be difficult but we have some of the best and most dedicated law enforcement officers working on this… and we’ll hope for the best.”
MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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