Woman was found in a bushy center median on Route 22 in Branchburg.
BRANCHBURG -- A 29-year-old Hopatcong woman has been identified as the person found dead Wednesday in the center median on Route 22 in the township, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said in a news release Friday.
Ashley Castro Ashley M. Castro was identified following a post mortem examination performed Thursday by the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner's Office in Newark, the release stated.
The cause and manner of death is pending further testing, authorities said.
At approximately 1:22 p.m. on Wednesday, the Branchburg Township Police Department responded to a call of a deceased female located on the center median of Route 22 eastbound near Route 28 across from the Regency Motel and Guest House, authorities have said.
Responding officers found the body in a bushy area of the median and secured the area as a crime scene. Investigators were seen interviewing residents of the motel.
Investigation causes heavy delays on Route 22
Prosecutor Robertson stated that detectives from the Branchburg Township Police Department, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Crime Scene Investigations and Forensics Unit, investigators from the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner's Office, and special agents from the Franklin field office of the FBI responded to conduct the death investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100, the Branchburg Township Police Department 908-526-3830 or the Somerset County Crime Stoppers' Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or online at www.888577tips.org or www.scpo.net and click on either "Crime Stoppers" or "TIPS HOTLINE."
All anonymous Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.