Colts Neck man arrested in connection with death of retired firefighter

A Colts Neck man has been arrested in connection with the death of a retired New York Firefighter, authorities announced Wednesday.

Conrad Sipa, 52, of Homelands Drive, was arrested in connection with the death of Richard Doody Jr., who was found dead at his Barnegat Light home on Monday after a family member became concerned and contacted police when attempts to contact him were unsuccessful. His body was discovered by officers from the Long Branch Police Department, according to a press release from the Ocean County prosecutor's Office.

Authorities said An autopsy was conducted by Dr. Ian Hood and showed that Doody's death was the result of "blunt force trauma to his head and slash wounds to his neck. Dr. Hood ruled that Mr. Doody was the victim of a homicide."

Sipa has been charged with charged with one count of murder and one count of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. He was arrested Wednesday afternoon at his home and is currently being held on $1 million cash-only bail, set by Judge James M. Blaney.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, if Sipa is convicted of murder, he faces a "mandatory minimum term of incarceration of 30 years and a maximum term of life." In addition, he could face a maxiumum penalty of 10 years in a New Jersey State prison for possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, which is a second degree crime.

Several agencies collaborated in the investigation including detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, the Long Beach Township Police Department and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Crime Scene Investigations Unit with assistance from Detective Steve Capuano and Sergeants Shannon Dugan and Valerie Seiser of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Crime Scene Investigations Unit and the Colts Neck Police Department and the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office .

Anyone with any information concerning this case is asked to contact Detective Raymond Gardner of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-929-2027 or Detective Ronald Hullings of the Long Beach Township Police Department at 609-494-3322.

Toniann Antonelli is the digital managing editor at NJ 101.5. Reach her at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.