JERSEY CITY – An arrest warrant has been issued for Jose Roland Santos-Alvarez, 26, charging him with the alleged murder of a his estranged girlfriend and their son on Oct. 7.
Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said the arrest warrant has been issued in connection with the Oct. 7 double murder on Lincoln Street in Jersey City.
On Oct 7 at approximately 5:30 p.m., the Jersey City Police responded to 34 Lincoln Street in Jersey City on a report of a female and child not breathing. Monika M. Potoczniak, age 27, and her son, Christopher R. Potoczniak, age 4, were found unconscious in their second floor apartment. They were transported to CarePoint Health Christ Hospital, where they were both pronounced dead shortly before 6:30 p.m.
Apparently, relatives became concerned when they could not reach the pair. According to one account, the victim’s brother found them not breathing and there were signs of a struggle.
On Oct, 9, 2015, the Medical Examiner determined that the cause of death for Monika was strangulation and the manner of death was homicide. The Medical Examiner determined the cause of death for Christopher was suffocation and the manner of death was homicide.
On Oct. 10, 2015, an arrest warrant was issued Santos-Alvarez charging him with two counts of Murder. Santos-Alvarez is the estranged boyfriend of Monika and the father of Christopher.
Anyone with information as to the current whereabouts of Jose Ronald Santos-Alvarez is asked to contact the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit at (201) 915-1345 or by email at hcpotips@hcpo.org. All contacts will be kept confidential. Alvarez should not be approached and he should be considered dangerous. A photograph of Santos-Alvarez is attached.
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