By John Burton
FREEHOLD – A Monmouth County Jury on Thursday found a Middletown man guilty of murdering his wife in November 2011.
After a 10-week trial, a jury of four men and eight women convicted Patrick F. Allen, 47, of first degree murder of his then 44-year-old wife, Kimberly Allen, in their Lincroft home after striking her with a frying pan, according to Charles Webster, a spokesman for the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
The jury also found Allen guilty of third degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, fourth degree tampering with physical evidence and third degree hindering apprehension.
Allen is expected to appear before Superior Court Judge John T. Mullaney Jr. for sentencing on Jan. 29, 2015, according to Webster.
Allen faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison, which is subject to the No Early Release Act, requiring him to serve at least 85 percent of the sentence before being considered for parole. Allen also faces up to five years in prison for each of the other offenses.
Police responded to a 911 call on Nov. 18, 2011 where they found Kimberly Allen’s body on the floor of the kitchen in the family home.
The investigation conducted by the detectives from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and Middletown police determined Allen and his wife had an argument that escalated into an altercation resulting in Allen striking her in the head with a frying pan.
The Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death was homicidal violence, including asphyxia and blunt impact injuries to the head. Investigators arrested Allen the same day, according to Webster.
