5,700

Number of jobs
New Jersey gained
in July
6.5%
New Jerseys July
unemployment rate,
down from 6.6 percent
MORE JOBS IN N.J. NOW,
BUT LAYOFFS LOOM
YOUR MONEY, A10
INSIDE
For a story on the memorial service held for the victims, see
Page A6.
FREEHOLD It took just three minutes for Brian
Farmer who is accused of murdering his cousin and
her 10-year-old foster daughter after he was caught tak-
ing pornographic pictures of the young girl to be
read his rights in a court hearing and be told of the offi-
cial charges against him.
Two counts of murder and three counts of child en-
dangerment could mean the 58-year-old ex-convict
spends the rest of his life in prison.
But Susan Michling, a detective in the Monmouth
TOM SPADER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Brian Farmer makes his first court appearance Thursday after his arrest on murder charges. Authorities said Farmer strangled his
cousin, Joan Colbert, and her foster daughter, Veronica Roach, after Colbert caught him taking pornographic photos of the girl.
KEVIN PENTON/STAFF PHOTO
Candles line the walkway outside the Long Branch home
where Joan Colbert (top right) and her foster daughter,
Veronica Roach (top left), were killed.
By Margaret F. Bonafide @mfbonafide
Dustin Racioppi @dracioppi
and Kevin Pentn @kevinpentonapp
See SLAYINGS, Page A6
Scan the QR code for a video of the
court appearance.
Ex-con charged in slayings
of cousin, her foster child
Brian Farmer has a 40-year history of violent crime
and sexual assault, once kidnapping a 15-year-old vic-
tim and her mother before burning down their Long
Branch home.
Yet the state listed him as a moderate-risk sex of-
fender after he was released from prison in 2009, the
second level of a three-tier system. And although he is
listed in the states Megans Law registry as living in
Asbury Park, he lived for a time on Ludlow Street and
frequented a John Street home both near elementary
schools in Long Branch.
Now Farmer stands accused of double murder, with
By Dustin Racioppi @dracioppi
See PREDATOR, Page A7
WHY WAS SEXUAL
PREDATOR FREED?
MURDER SUSPECT: Has a long history of violent crime
AUTHORITIES: Victim caught him taking child-porn photos
Asbury Park Press APP.COM $1.00
),
/sbury Park Press daily

FRIDAY 08.15.14
VOLUME 135
NUMBER 195
SINCE 1879
ADVICE JERSEY ALIVE
CLASSIFIED D4
COMICS JERSEY ALIVE
LOCAL A3
MOVIES JERSEY ALIVE
OBITUARIES A11
OPINION A14
SPORTS C1
WEATHER C10
YOUR MONEY A10
MISSOURI HIGHWAY PATROL TO SECURE EMBATTLED TOWN PAGE 1B
RUTGERS FRESHMEN READY TO STEP UP
With changes to offense, young running backs prepare for chance to play a bigger role. SPORTS, C1
THE NIGHT THE BLUE COMET CRASHED
Legendary train derailed in the middle of the Pine Barrens 75 years ago. JERSEY ROOTS, A4
SHAKESPEARE THEATRES
ALCHEMIST HAS JUST THE
RIGHT COMIC CHEMISTRY
IN JERSEY ALIVE!