Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey Soriano says 30-year-old Chad Everette Robertson of Shoreacres was killed early Saturday when he tried to help a 29-year-old colleague from Houston who was being attacked by several people.
Robertson - the married father of five young children, who range in age from 3 months to 12 years - was stabbed multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene. The younger man, whose name has not been disclosed, was stabbed in the abdomen and underwent emergency surgery. He remained hospitalized Monday night.
Soriano says the two men came to New Jersey a few weeks and had been working on an environmental project for Robertson's Houston-based company. But authorities have not said whether the men were staying at the Franklin Township hotel where the stabbings occurred or if they had previously stayed there while in the area.
Soriano says it appears that the 29-year-old victim was confronted shortly after 1 a.m. Saturday by a group of about 12 people, but they don't believe that every member of the group took part in the attack. It also appears that Robertson saw what was happening and tried to help his younger colleague.
"Mr. Robertson was doing nothing more than coming to the aid of his friend (and) co-worker," Soriano said Monday.
Authorities are offering a $10,000 reward for information on the stabbings.
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