Conrad Sipa, 52, was charged with murder and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato and Long Beach Township Police Chief Michael Bradley announced on Wednesday.
Conrad Sipa, 52, of Colts Neck, was charged in connection with the death of retired FDNY lieutenant Richard Doody. (Photo courtesy of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office).BARNEGAT LIGHT -- A Colts Neck man was charged Wednesday with the grisly death of a retired FDNY firefighter who was found dead Monday at his home on Long Beach Island.
Conrad Sipa, 52, was charged with murder and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato and Long Beach Township police Chief Michael Bradley announced on Wednesday.
On Monday, Richard P. Doody, 60, was found dead at his residence on Central Avenue after police went to the home to check on him, authorities said. A concerned family member had contacted police after not hearing from him for two days.
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An autopsy showed that Doody suffered blunt force trauma to his head and slash wounds to his neck, said Al Della Fave, a spokesman with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office. His death was ruled a homicide.
Doody, a retired FDNY lieutenant, lived in the Tottenville section of Staten Island, N.Y., and also owned a home in Barnegat Light, property records show. Neighbors in Tottenville told the Staten Island Advance that Doody traveled between the two houses.
Doody was a member of the FDNY for 29 years and retired in March 2011. He was stationed out of Engine Co. 164/Ladder Co. 84's in Huguenot section of Staten Island.
Richard D. Doody, a retired FDNY lieutenant from Staten Island, was found dead at his home on Long Beach Island on Monday. (Photo courtesy of the Staten Island Advance). In 2008, Doody was honored by the Staten Island Advance after he helped rescue a man who was in a car crash. Doody was one of several firefighters who pulled a 22-year-old man out of his car after he slammed it into a pole.
On Tuesday, investigators combed his Barnegat Light residence for evidence and canvassed the area. Two vehicles with New York license plates were towed away from the driveway.
Authorities did not say, however, what the motive was or if the two men knew each other.
Sipa was arrested at his home in Colts Neck on Wedneday with the help of the Colts Neck police and the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.
Bail for Sipa was set at $1 million cash.
If convicted of murder, Sipa can receive a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The incident remains under investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office's Major Crimes unit, the Long Beach Township Police Department and the Ocean County Sheriff's Department's Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) unit.
Authorities asked anyone with any information 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.
Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.