Prosecutors: Body In Car Trunk Ruled A Homicide

LINCOLN PARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Prosecutors say the death of a man found in the trunk of a car parked in a wooded area of northern New Jersey has been ruled a homicide.

They won't disclose what types of injuries the victim sustained or how long he may have been in the car, which was found Thursday in Lincoln Park.

Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi says it appears the man was targeted, noting there's no evidence to suggest the killing was a random act. And while the victim has been identified, Bianchi declined to release his identity pending family notification.

Police found the body shortly after a pedestrian flagged down a police officer to report seeing the vehicle, a 1996 Toyota Camry with New York plates. On further inspection, officers found the man's body.

At around 8 a.m., authorities got a tip from a man walking along Ryerson Road that led to police making the grisly discovery inside a 1996 Toyota Camry with New York plates.

Residents in the neighborhood were shocked to hear the gruesome news.

"It's quiet, you can walk here -- do anything you want. You know, it's no problem. Never had a problem in town," Jim Rafferty told CBS 2's Mark Morgan.

"It's a little scary because the body was discovered directly across the street from the middle school that my son will be starting in next year," Anthony Greco said.

Does this sound like a case of homicide? Sound off in our comments section below…

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