Conrad Sipa, 52, is charged with murder and possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose in connection with the death of Richard P. Doody.
TOMS RIVER — Bail for the Colts Neck man accused in the grisly death of a retired firefighter from Staten Island last week will remain at $1 million cash.
Conrad Sipa, 52, is charged with murder and possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose in connection with the death of Richard P. Doody. Doody was found dead at his home in Barnegat Light with slash wounds to his neck and blunt-force trauma to his head, authorities have said.
In a brief appearance before Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels, Sipa, wearing a green and white striped jumpsuit, sat with a blank expression on his face as his attorney, Daniel M. Rosenberg, argued for a bail reduction.
"Mr. Sipa is 52 years of age. ... He's married, he resides in New Jersey, he owns a home. ... He's never been charged with a crime, he's never been arrested (and) he's been a law-abiding citizen his entire life," Rosenberg said.
Rosenberg noted that 11 members of Sipa's family, including his wife, mother and sister, were present for the hearing.
Rosenberg asked the court to consider reducing bail to between $500,000 and $750,000 cash or bond.
In arguing against bail reduction for Sipa, Assistant Prosecutor Michel A. Paulhus said the court should consider the seriousness of the crime and the likelihood of a conviction.
"At this point, the state has put together a very, very powerful (case) indicating that this individual" is responsible for the death of Doody, Paulhus said.
Daniels denied any reduction in bail, calling the allegations against Sipa "very serious." Sipa will have a formal bail hearing in two weeks, Daniels said.
Rosenberg declined to comment outside the courtroom. Members of Sipa's family also declined to comment.
Sipa sat silent for the roughly five-minute hearing, only responding with a "yes" when Daniels asked if he understood his rights. He occasionally glanced at the family members and media present in the courtroom, but mostly kept his head down.
Sipa was charged just two days after investigators scoured Doody's Barnegat Light home for clues after finding his dead body on Nov. 23.
Police had responded to his home at around 5 p.m. after a concerned family member hadn't heard from Doody in two days.
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). Doody, 60, was a lauded member of the FDNY for 29 years who retired in March. He lived in the Tottenville section of Staten Island, N.Y., with his wife, Virginia.
Residents told the Staten Island Advance that Doody traveled between his two homes.
In 2008, Doody was honored by the newspaper for helping rescue a 22-year-old Kean University football player out of a car following a crash on Staten Island.
A funeral for Doody is set for Tuesday in Tottenville.
"He would help anyone, anywhere," his wife, Virginia, told the Advance. "He would change someone's flat tire on the side of the road in a monsoon, without a second's hesitation. He was funny, warm, caring, generous, and his heart was open to family, friends, strangers. He was always genuine."
Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.