Paramus, New Jersey – Melvin Thomas, 32, confessed to the Paramus police on February 16 that he had killed 61-year-old Manuel Thomas two days prior. The confession led the department’s Emergency Services Unit to rush to 693 Bruce Drive near Forest Avenue shortly after 5:30 p.m. When they received no response, they forced their way into the residence where they found the body of Manuel Thomas in the basement with multiple stab wounds, according to Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella.
The prosecutor did not disclose how the police were notified of the homicide, nor did he indicate the specific time the crime is believed to have taken place. These details will be determined by the Bergen County Medical Examiner’s Office. Melvin Thomas, who is single and unemployed, surrendered to borough police and was subsequently handed over to the prosecutor’s Major Crimes Unit. In addition to murder, he was charged with desecration of human remains, hindering, and weapons offenses. He is being held at the Bergen County Jail awaiting a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.
Manuel Thomas was married to Lissy for 36 years until her passing in March 2021. The couple had three children – two sons, Melvin and Levin, 31, and a daughter, Ashley. The daughter was escorted to the house by detectives, which was fully cordoned off as the Bergen County Sheriff’s Bureau of Criminal Identification gathered evidence.
The case brings shock and tragedy to the Paramus community as the details of the incident continue to unfold. The investigation continues as authorities work to piece together the events leading up to the violent crime. The neighborhood around the Thomas residence is left in disbelief, and a sense of unease lingers as the community grapples with the aftermath of the harrowing event.