Police say the man accused of killing two teenagers claimed that his car had been stolen—but footage from his own dashcam REVEALED THE ENTIRE TRUTH
Dashcam Footage Exposes Suspect’s Alleged Lie After Two Teen Girls Were Killed in New Jersey
A shocking criminal case in New Jersey has taken a dramatic turn after police said dashcam footage from the suspect’s own vehicle contradicted his original claim that he had been carjacked before two teenage girls were killed.
According to reports, 18-year-old Vincent Battiloro has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder after two 17-year-old girls, Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas, were fatally struck while riding an electric bike in Cranford on September 29, 2025. At first, the suspect allegedly told authorities that his Jeep had been stolen by a masked attacker. However, investigators later said footage from his own dashcam told a very different story.
Police reportedly said the video showed the vehicle being driven to the area where the girls were located. Instead of supporting the carjacking claim, the footage allegedly captured the driver spotting the teenagers, making a U-turn, accelerating toward them, and striking them at high speed before fleeing on foot.
The case has horrified the community, not only because of the young victims’ deaths, but also because investigators now believe the suspect’s first explanation may have been an attempt to mislead police. What began as a supposed story of a stolen vehicle quickly became, according to authorities, a murder investigation built around video evidence from the suspect’s own car.
Family members of the victims have expressed grief, anger, and relief that the case has moved forward in adult court. Relatives have also raised concerns about earlier incidents allegedly involving the suspect and the victims’ families, including claims of prior harassment. Maria Niotis’ mother has publicly suggested that she believes the attack was premeditated.
For investigators, the dashcam footage appears to be a central piece of evidence. In many modern cases, cameras from phones, homes, businesses, police bodycams, and vehicles have become decisive tools. But this case is especially striking because the evidence that allegedly undermined the suspect’s story came from inside his own vehicle.
The deaths of Maria and Isabella have left a deep wound in the Cranford community. Two teenagers who were simply riding together lost their lives in a violent incident that police now say was not an accident and not the result of a carjacking, but an intentional act.
As the case continues, prosecutors are expected to focus on the video, the suspect’s statements, and any evidence of planning or prior conflict. For the victims’ families, however, no legal development can undo the loss. What remains is a devastating question: why were two young girls targeted, and how much more will the dashcam reveal before the full truth is finally told in court?
