A 24-year-old Ocean County man suspected of strangling his 15-year-old female cousin to death is in custody after being arrested at Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank Police have confirmed.

Garry Zigich Jr. had been admitted to the hospital “for suicidal tendencies” at around 9a Tuesday, about nine hours before the body of Brittany Cena was found on the floor of her home by her grandparents, according to a report in the Asbury Park Press.

Authorities said the girl may have been dead most of the day. An autopsy will determine if she had been sexually assaulted, Ocean County Prosecutor Marlene Lynch Ford said at a press conference today, according to the Press.

Capt. Steve McCarthy, who heads the detective division in Red Bank, said his department was alerted that the suspect might be at the hospital last night. Det. Sgt Michael Frazee investigated, and confirmed Zigich’s identity. He notified Ocean County authorities and assisted in the arrest, McCarthy said.

Zigich was scheduled to appear before a judge in Ocean County this afternoon.

This is from the Star-Ledger:

A dozen family members and friends of Cena were present for Zigich’s first court appearance this afternoon. Zigich, appearing in green khaki prison garb, made eye contact with the family only once, when he looked to his left and mouthed the words, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.” As he passed the family on his way back to jail, Ernie Cena, Brittany’s father, pounded the court railing.

Officials believe the teen was murdered sometime between 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, when she spoke by cell phone with a friend, and about 9 a.m.

Police responded to a missing person’s report by Brittany’s mother, Denise, at about 5 p.m. Tuesday. It was after police left the family’s home on Colonial Drive that Brittany’s grandparents found the young girl’s body in the basement.

“She was killed by placing his hands around the victim’s throat,” read the complaint, released by police at a news conference in Toms River.

Zigich, a former foster child who was under the supervision of the state’s child protection agency for a number of years, was arrested Tuesday night at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank. Zigich, who had been living at the Cena home for the past month, arrived at the emergency room mid-morning Tuesday.

“He complained of suicidal tendencies,” said Ocean County Prosecutor Marlene Lynch Ford at the press conference earlier this afternoon. Police cited information provided by Brittany’s friends as helping them to make the arrest.

According to police, when Brittany did not show up at Toms River North High School, where she was a sophomore, friends began trying to reach her by phone. At about 4:30, hours after Brittany was expected home from school, her mother Denise called police to report her daughter missing.

Zigich is being held in the Ocean County jail on a $500,000 bond.

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