Cranford, NJ man accused of killing teens allegedly swatted the home of a victim he was stalking.
A 17-year-old male has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with a tragic incident in Cranford, New Jersey, where two teenage girls, Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas, both aged 17, were killed while riding their e-bikes. According to legal representatives for the victims’ families, the accused, Vincent Battiloro, had a history of harassment and stalking directed at Niotis, which allegedly spanned several months leading up to the deadly incident.
On September 29, 2025, at approximately 5:30 p.m., Battiloro is reported to have struck both girls with an SUV while driving at a speed calculated to be around 70 miles per hour. Eyewitness reports indicate that the vehicle then fled the scene. Authorities subsequently located Battiloro and took him into custody, leading to the formal charges against him. In addition to the murder counts, he has been issued 15 traffic tickets associated with the incident, highlighting the severity of the actions that led to the girls’ deaths.
Attorney Brent Bramnick, representing the Niotis family, has revealed that the police were called to the Niotis residence twice prior to the incident due to what was perceived as swatting—an intentional misreporting designed to provoke law enforcement response. Bramnick contends that while these visits occurred, there was no valid emergency requiring police attention, raising concerns about the response to the Niotis family’s numerous complaints regarding Battiloro’s behavior.
Investigations indicate that the suspect had a troubling history of online harassment, where he allegedly expressed thoughts of vengeance and even engaged in prank calls to the Niotis household using a burner phone while livestreaming.
Neighbors and family members have corroborated the account of ongoing harassment, citing that Maria Niotis had reported Battiloro’s threatening behavior to local authorities prior to the fatal event. Further scrutiny is now being applied to the police’s handling of these complaints, particularly given Battiloro’s family connections within law enforcement; his father is a recently retired police officer, and his uncle serves as the police chief in Westfield, New Jersey.
The deaths of Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas have devastated their families and local community. As a tribute to their memory, a memorial service is scheduled for Wednesday evening at a local church, demonstrating the communal grief felt following this shocking event. The investigation continues as the families seek accountability and answers regarding the tragic circumstances that led to this loss of young life.
