A teenager accused of killing two 17-year-old girls in a hit-and-run crash in New Jersey last year has been publicly identified after being waived up to adult court. Vincent Battiloro, 18, of Garwood, will now face counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of the two juvenile females.
Battiloro's case was transferred from juvenile court to adult court, allowing his identity to be released. He was 17 at the time of the alleged crime. Prosecutors allege that Battiloro struck Isabella Salas and Maria Niotis while they were riding an electric bike in Cranford on September 29, 2025, at around 5:26 p.m.
The two girls were taken to local hospitals, where they were pronounced dead a short time later. Battiloro was arrested following an extensive investigation and charged with two counts of first-degree murder and multiple traffic offenses.
911 call audio obtained through public records shows that the suspect was initially released to his father after the alleged hit-and-run. The records also show that Battiloro's father contacted law enforcement after the crash. Battiloro was detained for questioning after the incident, then released, and arrested two days later, on October 1.
Multiple callers to 911 dispatchers described the incident, with one caller stating that a black Jeep Compass "flew down the road and hit people," adding that one of the victims was unresponsive. Another caller reported that someone was underneath a car, and that "nobody's conscious" and "everyone's stunned, not moving."
The mother of one of the victims, Maria Niotis, has spoken out about the incident, alleging that the suspect "planned" the attack and thought he was "untouchable" due to his family connections. She also claims that local police failed to act after Battiloro had been stalking her daughter before the crash.
The victim's mother expressed her desire for justice, stating that she wants justice for Maria and Isabella. The community is still reeling from the tragic incident, and the case is set to proceed in adult court.
