Man charged with murder in fatal Wildwood Crest shooting

A 63-year-old man was charged with murder in the fatal shooting of another man Wednesday afternoon during an argument in Wildwood Crest, Cape May County authorities announced Thursday.

Carmine Neri, of Wildwood Crest, is accused of killing Joseph Falciani, 41, inside a residence on East Cresse Avenue, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland and Wildwood Crest Police Chief Robert Lloyd said in a news release.

Sutherland and Lloyd stated the following:

Around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the residence for a report of a gunshot victim and were met outside by the 911 caller, who said the shooter was still in the residence.

Police found Neri standing in the front living room with a black-and-silver handgun in his back right jeans pocket. Police took Neri into custody and secured the gun.

Police then found Falciani lying on his back at the top of a staircase with an apparent gunshot wound to his chest. Lifesaving measures were attempted, but Falciani was pronounced dead at the scene.

“Witness statements from two individuals present at the time of the incident indicated that an argument between Neri and Falciani escalated to the second story of the residence. A single gunshot was heard, and witnesses discovered Falciani lying at the top of the staircase while Neri held a firearm. Additional witness testimony and forensic evidence supported these accounts,” Sutherland and Lloyd said.

“A search of the residence resulted in the recovery of a spent shell casing, a projectile, and multiple electronic devices. Investigators also noted that an office door near the shooting scene was locked and displayed damage consistent with being forcibly kicked in,” Sutherland and Lloyd said.

Neri was also charged with endangering the welfare of a child and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Neri was being held at the Cape May County Correctional Facility pending further court proceedings.