CHERRY HILL, NJ — An Oregon man pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree murder in the December 2024 stabbing death of a Cherry Hill veterinarian who was dating the defendant’s former boyfriend.
Cristian Custodio-Aquino, 28, of Portland, Oregon, accepted a plea deal that will sentence him to 30 years in New Jersey State Prison without possibility of early parole for killing Dr. Michael Anthony, 45. The case represents a cross-country investigation that relied on DNA evidence from sunglasses and license plate reader technology to track the suspect from New Jersey to California. Sentencing is scheduled for July 9, 2026, bringing closure to a case that shocked the Camden County community and highlighted how modern investigative tools can solve complex crimes spanning multiple states.
Dr. Anthony was found with multiple stab wounds around 7:09 a.m. on December 10, 2024, outside his home in the 100 block of Sharrowvale Road in Cherry Hill. He was pronounced dead at the scene by responding officers from the Cherry Hill Police Department. “The tragic loss of Dr. Michael Anthony deeply affected the Camden County community and all those who knew him,” said Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay in a statement Wednesday. Near the victim’s body, detectives discovered a crucial piece of evidence that would crack the case: a pair of eyeglasses with unique frames bearing a specific model number and light-reactive lenses. The glasses were immediately sent for DNA analysis.
The investigation revealed that Custodio-Aquino had driven his black Nissan Altima from Oregon to New Jersey around the time of the killing. Authorities used license plate reader data to place the vehicle in the Cherry Hill area on December 10, 2024, then tracked its movement across state lines to Florida and eventually California. When detectives later located and searched the Nissan Altima, they found suspected blood inside the vehicle. DNA analysis confirmed the blood belonged to Dr. Anthony, providing crucial physical evidence linking the suspect to the crime. The eyeglasses found at the murder scene also yielded DNA evidence that matched Custodio-Aquino, according to investigators. This combination of forensic evidence and digital tracking technology allowed prosecutors to build a strong case against the defendant despite the geographic distance involved.
The cross-country manhunt concluded on February 11, 2025, when U.S. Marshals from the Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested Custodio-Aquino in Fresno, California. He had been formally charged four days earlier on February 7, 2025, with first-degree murder. During court proceedings, prosecutors revealed that Dr. Anthony had been romantically involved with Custodio-Aquino’s ex-boyfriend, establishing a potential motive for the killing. The relationship connection helped explain why the Oregon resident would travel approximately 3,000 miles to commit the crime in New Jersey. Detective Daniel Crawford of the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit and Detective Frank Kirsch of the Cherry Hill Police Department led the investigation, working closely with federal authorities to locate and apprehend the suspect across state lines.
The case demonstrates the effectiveness of modern investigative techniques in solving violent crimes that cross jurisdictional boundaries. License plate reader technology, which captures and stores vehicle movement data across highway systems, proved instrumental in tracking Custodio-Aquino’s movements from the crime scene to his eventual arrest location. DNA analysis of physical evidence found both at the scene and in the suspect’s vehicle provided the forensic foundation for the prosecution’s case. “I commend the outstanding work of the detectives and prosecutors whose persistence and commitment to justice were instrumental in identifying and locating the defendant in California months after Dr. Anthony’s death,” Prosecutor MacAulay stated. The investigation required coordination between New Jersey authorities, California law enforcement, and federal marshals to successfully apprehend the suspect nearly 14 months after the killing.
Community leaders and law enforcement officials expressed relief at the resolution of the case without requiring a lengthy trial. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Dr. Michael Anthony,” said Cherry Hill Police Chief John Ostermueller. “We are extremely appreciative of the hard work by members of the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office for resolving this case without the added burden of a trial.” The state was represented by Section Chief Kevin Moran of the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit throughout the proceedings. Dr. Anthony was remembered by prosecutors as someone whose “lasting legacy of compassion and dedicated service to the communities he faithfully served” would continue despite the tragic circumstances of his death.
The 30-year sentence without early parole eligibility ensures Custodio-Aquino will serve the full term for the first-degree murder conviction. The July 9 sentencing hearing will formally conclude the legal proceedings, though the investigation’s success has already provided what prosecutors hope will be closure for Dr. Anthony’s family and the broader Cherry Hill community.
