2005 Media Releases:

CAMDEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
VINCENT P. SARUBBI, CAMDEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR
MEDIA   INFORMATION

July 18, 2005

Camden County Prosecutor Vincent P. Sarubbi announced that Groucho Marx Keys, 53, admitted today to killing his two housemates during a robbery last year, as well as to attempting to assault a police officer who tried to apprehend him in connection with the slayings.

Keys pleaded guilty to two counts of Felony Murder in the deaths of his uncle, Samuel Harris, 64, and Harris' live-in girlfriend, Linda Neely, 55, on July 7, 2004. The plea agreement, negotiated by Assistant Prosecutor Christine Myers, calls for Keys to serve 30 years in New Jersey State Prison with no possibility of parole.

The murders took place in the home the victims shared with Keys in the 1100 block of North 23rd Street. Keys today admitted to Superior Court Judge John T. McNeill III that he killed his housemates while robbing them of cash and an ATM card. He also took Harris' 1994 Chrysler LeBaron and used Neely's ATM card to obtain cash.

Keys also pleaded guilty today to Aggravated Assault, admitting that he ran at Camden Police Detective Wayne Matthews with a scissors on July 9, 2004, in an attempt to cause serious bodily injury. Matthews had approached Keys after officers spotted the defendant walking in the area of Baird Boulevard and Randolph Street in Camden. Detectives had been looking for Keys since the discovery of the murder victims the previous day.

Keys admitted today that he advanced on Detective Matthews in a threatening manner despite repeated warnings to stop. Matthews fired his service weapon at Keys, striking him multiple times and wounding him.

The plea agreement calls for a 10-year prison term on the Aggravated Assault count, to be served concurrent to the homicide sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 19, 2005.