Murder conviction tossed, man freed: This week in Central Jersey history, Oct. 23-29

A day after a judge threw out his 1995 conviction over bite-mark evidence, Gerard Richardson, imprisoned for nearly two decades for a murder he said he didn't commit, walked out of a federal courthouse on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013.

A court-ordered DNA test showed the bite mark on victim Monica Reyes, whose body was found in a ditch in Bernards, contained another man's DNA.

Here's a look at events that happened in Central Jersey from five, 10, 25, 50 and 100 years ago this week.

Five years ago

Oct. 23, 2018: Ruddy Custodio, 30, of Piscataway, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide, driving with a suspended license and driving while impaired by drugs in connection with a Wednesday, July 4, 2018, motorcycle crash in South Plainfield that killed his passenger, Jessica Montes, 28, of Piscataway.

Oct. 23: Billy A. Donnerstag, 50, of Hackettstown, a former fire inspector for Middlesex Borough and Watchung, was sentenced to 34 months in federal prison for conspiring with Joseph Martinelli, of Kenvil, to extort a Middlesex Borough developer.

Oct. 24: The state Supreme Court decided not to hear the appeal of actress Amy Locane, who was facing sentencing for a third time on charges of vehicular homicide and assault by auto in connection with a fatal drunken driving crash in Montgomery in 2010.

Oct. 25: Unity Bank in Middlesex Borough was robbed, making it the third Central Jersey bank robbed that week.

Oct. 28: Comedian Tom Arnold performed at the Stress Factory in New Brunswick.

Oct. 28: In girls soccer, top-seeded East Brunswick captured the 35th GMCT title and third in a row with a 1-0 win over third-seeded Piscataway.

Oct. 29: Nathaniel Young Jr. of Rahway was convicted of the robbery and shooting death of Imad Alasmar, a taxi driver, in August 2015, and causing a car crash that resulted in serious injuries to Stacey Lopez, of Rahway.

10 years ago

Oct. 23, 2013: Gov. Chris Christie broke ground on an $845 million energy center project in the Keasbey section of Woodbridge.

Oct. 25: It was reported that, according to the governor's office, almost one year after Superstorm Sandy decimated parts of Sayreville, and five months after the kickoff of the $300 million statewide post-Sandy home buyout, the first two homes had been purchased at pre-storm value.

Oct. 25-26: "The Addams Family" was staged at The State Theatre in New Brunswick.

Oct. 26: It was reported Dunellen officials had agreed to settle a lawsuit ― for $97,000 ― filed by former Municipal Court Judge John Leonard, claiming the borough did not reappoint him in 2009 because he complained the borough's inspector was unfairly targeting Latino residents.

Oct. 28: It was reported that according to NerdWallet.com, Sayreville had been named the best town in New Jersey to raise a family.

Oct. 29: In a news release, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey said Kevin Vauters, 21, of New Brunswick, had been sentenced to life in prison without parole for robbing and fatally shooting Eugene Lockhart, 26, also of New Brunswick.

Oct. 29: Jaromir Jagr scored on a second-period breakaway to give the New Jersey Devils a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, becoming NHL's leader in game-winning goals.

1998

Oct. 23, 1998: Police arrested more than 75 people in predawn raids in what prosecutors said was an attempt to eliminate open-air drug markets in North Plainfield, Somerville, Franklin (Somerset) and Bound Brook.

Oct. 23-25: Gregg Allman performed at The Shell at Trump Marina in Atlantic City.

Oct. 25: A pilot died and three passengers were injured when a small plane nose-dived into Veterans Memorial Park in Linden, precariously close to the Bayway Oil Refinery.

Oct. 26: In the Somerset County Cross Country Championship, Hillsborough High School's Jake Folger placed second in 16:45 and Miguel Jones crossed the line two seconds later in third place, helping Hillsborough capture its first county crown.

Oct. 27: Hillsborough Mayor Brett Radi stepped down as the Township Committee's leader in preparation for his move out of the community.

Oct. 27: Hillary Rodham Clinton told a roomful of seniors at the Edison Senior Center not to be "scammed" by TV ads attacking Democratic Rep. Frank J. Pallone on Social Security.

Oct. 28: Gov. Christie Whitman predicted that more farms would disappear if New Jersey voters failed to approve a $98 million open-space referendum. Whitman had come to the Mason Farm in Readington to celebrate the 50,000th acre that had been preserved in the state.

1973

Oct. 24, 1973: Otto Greiner of Knickerbocker Country Club was named "Golf Professional of the Year for the New Jersey Section, PGA" at Echol Lake Country Club in Westfield.

Oct. 25: After seven months of investigation, Somerset County prosecutors said that Gail Kalinowski, 14, of Manville, who two years prior was said to have drowned, was in fact murdered.

Oct. 25: It was reported Raymond Purnell, a 12-year veteran of the Piscataway police force, was in fair condition at Raritan Valley Hospital after being shot the previous night while moonlighting as a mechanic at Kelly's Exxon Station in Piscataway.

Oct. 26: The Rev. Theodore Gajewski, 65, pastor of St. Stanislaus Church in Plainfield, thwarted an armed robbery in the rectory of the church, and escaped injury when the handgun aimed at him misfired.

Oct. 26: "Luther," a profile of Dr. Martin Luther, was performed at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Flemington.

Oct. 29: Heavy rain, measured as .62 inches by the Rutgers Meteorology Department in New Brunswick, was responsible for power blackouts and flooding in some areas of Middlesex and Somerset counties.

1923

Oct. 25, 1923: Mrs. James D'Arostino and Joseph Tripiccionne were shot and murdered in the basement of D'Arostino's home in Bernardsville.

Oct. 25-27: "Enemies of Women," starring Lionel Barrymore and Alma Rubens, was shown at Reade's Strand Theatre in Perth Amboy.

Oct. 26: At the Menlo Park Hotel in Menlo Park, six bandits entered and levelled guns at the proprietress and guests and relieved them of their money and valuables.

Oct. 28: In an Eastern NJ Soccer League game in Irvington, Plainfield beat the Irvington leaguers, 1-0.

Brad Wadlow is a staff writer for MyCentralJersey.com

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ history for the week of Oct. 23-29