Liam McAtasney

Liam McAtasney was born in New Jersey and was living in Neptune City at the time of Sarah Stern's murder.

McAtasney knew Sarah Stern through their social circle. The two had attended the same high school, although they were not close friends.

McAtasney was also friends with Preston Taylor, who later became involved in the aftermath of Stern's killing and ultimately testified against him.

Before the murder, Stern had received approximately $20,000 in cash from an inheritance following her mother's death. Prosecutors argued that McAtasney learned about the money and developed a plan to steal it.

McAtasney's only confirmed murder was the killing of Sarah Stern.

On December 2, 2016, Stern met McAtasney after he contacted her about retrieving money from her home. Prosecutors said McAtasney had devised a plan to rob her.

McAtasney took Stern to the Route 35 bridge over the Shark River in Neptune City. He then attacked her and strangled her with a belt.

After killing Stern, McAtasney took her vehicle and her money.

He subsequently returned to the bridge with Preston Taylor. The two men disposed of Stern's body by throwing it from the bridge into the Shark River.

Stern's body has never been recovered.

McAtasney used deception to lure Stern to a secluded location under the pretence of helping retrieve money.

Once they were at the Route 35 bridge, he strangled her with a belt.

The prosecution presented the killing as financially motivated. McAtasney knew Stern had access to an inheritance and targeted her because of the money.

After the murder, he attempted to conceal the crime by disposing of Stern's body in the river and involving Taylor in the disposal.

Stern was reported missing after she failed to return home.

Her abandoned car was discovered near the Route 35 bridge, prompting investigators to focus on the area around the Shark River.

Police eventually identified McAtasney as a suspect. Investigators also questioned Taylor, who initially denied involvement but later cooperated with authorities.

Taylor secretly recorded conversations with McAtasney in which the two discussed Stern's murder. The recordings became critical evidence for the prosecution.

McAtasney was arrested in December 2016 and charged with Stern's murder.

McAtasney's trial began in Monmouth County Superior Court in 2019.

Prosecutors argued that he planned the killing to obtain Stern's inheritance. They presented the recordings made by Taylor, along with evidence concerning Stern's disappearance and McAtasney's actions afterward.

Taylor testified that McAtasney had described killing Stern and dumping her body from the bridge.

The defence attempted to challenge Taylor's credibility and argued that the prosecution had not proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

On September 24, 2019, a jury found McAtasney guilty of murder and related charges.

In November 2019, he was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, plus additional consecutive prison time for other offenses.

Sarah Stern was 19 years old when she was killed. She had recently lost her mother and had received an inheritance of approximately $20,000.

Prosecutors said McAtasney knew about the inheritance and planned the murder specifically to obtain the money. He was accused of taking approximately $20,000 from Stern after killing her.

Preston Taylor played a significant role in bringing the case to a conviction. After initially becoming involved in the cover-up, Taylor cooperated with investigators and secretly recorded conversations with McAtasney. Those recordings captured McAtasney discussing the murder and disposal of Stern's body.

Taylor pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and desecration of human remains. He testified against McAtasney and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after serving a portion of his sentence.

Despite extensive searches of the Shark River and surrounding waterways, Stern's remains have never been found.

The case gained national attention because of the discovery of the recordings in which McAtasney discussed the murder and because Stern's body remained missing.