Crime & Safety

Father Of Slain Toddler Arrested In California

Arthur Morgan wanted for murder in connection with the death of 2-year-old daughter

Arthur Eugene Morgan III, wanted for murder in the death of his 2-year-old daughter, has been arrested in San Diego, Calif., the U.S. Marshal Office said tonight.

Morgan, on the lam since the body of his daughter, Tierra Morgan-Glover, was found in a stream in Shark River Park in Wall last week, was arrested in a house in San Diego, said U.S. Marshal spokeswoman Lynzey Donahue.

The home, on the 800 block of Euclid Ave. in East San Diego, was owned by a friend of Morgan's, Deputy U.S. Marshal Omar Castillo said.

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The service had received information from New Jersey that Morgan may be in East San Diego Tuesday. Castillo did not know from what agency the tip came from.

The Marshal service tracked down the home and surveiled it for seven hours before spotting Morgan in the back yard, Castillo said.

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Castillo said the service arrested Morgan without incident. Morgan is being held in the San Diego County Jail. Extradition can take up to two weeks, Castillo said.

Authorities will seek to have Morgan transferred to New Jersey to face his murder charge as well as Ocean County charges filed against Morgan on Nov. 22 for second-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child and third-degree Interference with Custody, according to a release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

Prosecutor Peter Warshaw in the release thanked the U.S. Marshal's Office, which made the arrest this afternoon, and a host of other law enforcement agencies throughout the country in helping to locate Morgan, according to the release.

Morgan's capture comes just hours after the FBI turned up the heat in the nationwide manhunt for the 27-year-old man charged with the murder of his daughter.

The FBI issued a formal wanted alert for Arthur Eugene Morgan III, whose last known address was in Eatontown.

The alert says a federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution has been added to the murder charge issued out of Monmouth County following the discovery of the girl's body last Tuesday.

The hunt for Morgan also was detailed on the website of America's Most Wanted over the weekend.

Tierra Morgan-Glover was considered missing after she did not return home from a visitation with Morgan on Nov. 21. Her body was found in the park by teenagers walking by the next day.

An autopsy determined Tierra was the victim of "homicidal violence'' by being submerged in water, police have said.

Funeral services were held Monday morning in Asbury Park.


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