Rest In Peace!

Arrest for Mike Conway's Murder


FREEHOLD — A former Asbury Park man made his first appearance in court Thursday to face charges including felony murder and robbery in connection with the July death of a Freehold Township race car enthusiast.

The Asbury Park Press in Thursday’s editions incorrectly reported that Richard Busby, 54, of Newark, had been charged with murder. He is charged with felony murder in connection with the July 31 death of Michael Conway, 42.

Thursday afternoon in a Freehold courtroom, Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Thomas Huth handed Busby copies of complaints that also charge him with robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and/or arson, aggravated arson, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes and unlawful possession of a weapon. According to those complaints, the weapon was a handgun.

Busby's attorney, Regina Sauter of the public defender's office, entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf.

State Superior Court Judge Thomas F. Scully continued bail at $1.5 million.

In July, firefighters arrived at Conway's Jackson Mills Road home to find the structure engulfed in flames. When the blaze was extinguished, Conway's body was found inside, authorities said.

Authorities have previously said they determined the fire was intentionally set, and while they have not released the exact cause of Conway's death, they have said it was a homicide.

Conway's car – a 2009 white, four-door Volkswagen Jetta – was also missing from the garage, but it was later recovered in northern New Jersey, authorities said.

According to records, Busby, who was then living at a Monmouth Avenue address in Asbury Park, has a long criminal history dating to at least 1978, when he was sentenced to five to seven years in state prison for armed robbery and sent to the Garden State Juvenile Correctional Facility, where he was paroled in August 1980.

In 1986, Busby was sentenced to five years in state prison for receiving stolen property in Eatontown and was sent to Southern State Correctional Facility, where he was paroled in January 1989.

n the 1990s, he pleaded guilty to: burglary in Passaic County and was sentenced to five years’ probation; receiving stolen property in Monmouth County, where he was ordered to serve a year on probation, conditioned upon 364 days in the county jail; and receiving stolen property in Bergen County, where he was sentenced to four years in state prison, records show. But he served that term in the Bergen County Jail, according to state prison officials.

In 2001, Busby was sentenced to four years’ probation in Bergen County on a charge of theft by unlawful taking in Garfield, according to state court records.

In June 2006, he was sentenced in Monmouth County on cocaine possession and burglary charges to seven years in state prison, with a stipulation that he serve at least three years before he could become eligible for parole, according to court records.

A year later, he pleaded guilty to another burglary charge, and he had an additional three-year concurrent sentence added to his time.

He was initially sent to Southern State Correctional Facility. He served out his sentence from June 2, 2006 until he was paroled from Integrity House, a drug detox and rehabilitation treatment center in Newark, on Jan. 19, 2010.

On Aug. 20, he was arrested in Irvington, Essex County. The case was remanded to Irvington municipal court, where he was found guilty of criminal trespass and ordered to serve 91 days in the Essex County Jail, records show. Detainers from Clifton, Newark, Asbury Park and Ocean Township were also lodged against him.

He was discharged from that jail on Wednesday, when he was turned over to Monmouth County law enforcement.

He is now being held at the Monmouth County Jail, in connection with the Freehold Township case.

Authorities say the investigation is continuing.

Conway was a member of BAC Local 7, Tile, Marble and Terrazzo Workers of New York and New Jersey, and loved to race cars – especially his 1986 Corvette, his friends have previously said. He also enjoyed spending time at Raceway Park in Englishtown, according to friends.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office Detective Pamela Ricciardi at 732-431-7160.

 

Sounds like a real scumbag habitual criminal that should have been put away for life years ago. At least they found who it was, although it doesn't change what happened.

 

Now he deserves the DEATH SENTENCE!!
I nominate myself to cause death to this person. I will also have the option to choose the method of how he will die - once convicted.

I wonder if this person was working alone or with someone else.

Good news Artie, thanks

 

I guess we will find out soon enough if this is truly the perp. I glad they are progressing on this case.

 

It's a real shame that such a POS can end the life of such a nice guy. At least it's a little peace for Mike, but it doesnt change things. RIP Mike.

 

Murder and arson wasnt this POS's MO - let's pray this guy spills his guts out under interrogation and the authorities get everyone else involved.
There had to more then this guy involved...

 

The justice system really didn't work very well in this case. Based on this guy's record, he was only out of jail for a short period of time before he was arrested again and again and again....like 7 times in a row (not counting concurrent charges). Why was this guy walking the streets again??????? Damn shame

 

Go for it Rob,,,

Thanks Artie. A little peace of mind, hope the family can start getting a little closure..

 

Not in this state.

What a shame, a person like this left to wander the streets.
There are plenty more just like him out there at this very moment.
I hope all of my Corvette brothers & sisters are armed at home?

I'm just glad they caught the main target, but it doesn't change what happened.


RIP Mike.

 

Thanks for posting this artie.

Its nice that they caught someone, but why was this guy on the street???

RIP Mike

 

Let me know if you need an assistant, hopefully we can even use more than one method at the same time.

I still can't believe this even happened.

 

Good that they got the POS! Hope justice is served quickly and permanently!

 

Bring his sorryass to E-Town where we can all take a turn beating the crap out of him

 

He shouldn't have been set free even after the 3rd or 4th time he got arrested.!!! Obviously he sucked as a criminal and the criminal justice system sucked too!!!

Ron

 

makes you even sadder to think why did he pick Mike.. was it because of the cars? the tools in the garage?

At least there is some closure knowing that the police are active on the case and this is not a mystery.

Thoughts and blessings to you Mike, and your family and friends you left behind

 

Any updates on this situation? I haven't seen anything in the papers.

 

I am sure a trial date has been set. Normally 6 to 8 months after an arrest unless there are other delays from either the defense attorney or prosecutor.

Should be public information, if you call the the clerks office they may give the status of the case - referring to a court date.

 

 

My concern with all of this is that they only arrested one man. What about the other and possibly a third??