Teen murder suspect allegedly swatted victim’s home weeks before deadly hit-and-run: lawyer

The 17-year-old accused of killing two teen girls in a hit-and-run murder is accused in two “swatting” incidents at one of the victim’s homes in the weeks before she was killed.

Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas were killed on Monday, Sept. 29, while riding an electric bike when an unnamed 17-year-old male allegedly hit them both at around 5:26 p.m., the Union County Prosecutor’s Office said. The two girls, who were both 17, were pronounced dead after arriving at area hospitals. Fox News Digital isn’t naming the suspect as he hasn’t yet been charged as an adult.

Brent Bramnick, who is representing Niotis’ family, told Fox News Digital that the suspect allegedly swatted the family’s home in Cranford, New Jersey, twice in September. He said both incidents took place between Sept. 1 and 15.

After the first alleged swatting incident, Bramnick said that police were informed, but added he has “no information” suggesting there was any investigation done by law enforcement.

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In the second incident, Bramnick said police showed up at the family’s front doorstep, with the 17-year-old murder suspect parked in front of their house.

“She tells the police that there is the juvenile defendant over there,” Bramnick said.

After police talked with the now-murder suspect, Niotis’ mother, Foulla, was told by officers that the juvenile would be released to his father, Bramnick said.

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After the two incidents, Bramnick said the Niotis family wants to know “what went on?”

“What investigation, if any, went on after all that the family reported and all the information that the police had in their possession. That’s the question. So we need those questions answered,” Bramnick said. “And that’s why we’re involved, because we’re doing our own investigations to try to get to the bottom of those questions.”

The driver of the car, from Garwood, New Jersey, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Police said the suspect was driving a 2021 black Jeep Compass at the time of the crash.

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In a statement to Fox News Digital, Union County Prosecutor’s Office Public Information Officer Lauren Farinas said that the suspect was detained after the incident for questioning, but released.

“Shortly after the incident on Monday, Sept. 29, the suspect was detained and questioned by law enforcement officers. The suspect was subsequently released pending further investigation. Officers then arrested the suspect on Wednesday morning, Oct. 1, after complaints were approved for two counts of first-degree murder,” Farinas wrote.

The 17-year-old is currently in custody, she added.

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Foulla Niotis told Fox News previously that the suspect “planned” the attack and thought he was “untouchable” because he had relatives working in law enforcement.

She said that local police didn’t take action when they reported the suspect to law enforcement after he was allegedly stalking Maria.

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“They should have done a lot. They didn’t do anything,” Niotis said of local law enforcement. “They didn’t do anything to help my baby.”

“I want justice for Maria and Isabella. That’s what I want,” she added.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Cranford Police Department for comment.

Fox News’ Eric Shawn contributed to this report.