Grand jury indicts Liam McAtasney in murder of missing Neptune City teen Sarah Stern

A Monmouth County grand jury indicted a Neptune City teen in the murder of his former high school friend.
Liam McAtasney is accused of killing his high school classmate Sarah Stern in December 2016. McAtasney was indicted Monday on several charges, including first-degree murder, robbery and disturbing human remains.
McAtasney’s roommate and alleged accomplice, Preston Taylor, accepted a plea deal Monday for his role in the crime.
Prosecutors say that McAtasney and Taylor planned to rob Stern of $10,000 that she had recently acquired. McAtasney allegedly took Stern to the bank to withdraw the money and then strangled her inside her home. McAtasney and Taylor allegedly threw Stern’s body over the Belmar Bridge into the Shark River and then staged it to look like a suicide.
Taylor was to receive $3,000 for helping to dispose of Stern’s body, according to prosecutors.
Taylor has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors as part of the plea agreement. He is expected to be sentenced July 21. He faces 10 to 20 years in prison.
Stern’s body has not yet been found. Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni says that investigators have not given up the search.