What we know so far

As many of you know, my cousin murdered his mother. She was declared legally dead after 7 years as her body had not been found. That declaration was a few years ago. My hideous cousin (Paul Mergel...I hate claiming relation to him) spent tens of thousands of dollars that belonged to his mother after he killed her. He used her credit cards and forged her name on her checks. At the time she first went missing, her house (Where Paul was living) was searched and numerous guns that had been reported stolen were found. He was then convicted of theft by possession and ordered to serve 2 years door to door, meaning no good time, he had to serve the entire 2 years. He was eventually charged with 7 counts of forgery on my aunt's checks and in return for probation, he plead guilty to all counts. He immediately left the state and has been in New Jersey since then. Obviously, he violated his probation.

In New Jersey, he continued on with his criminal behavior and was arrested 3 times for drug charges. When he went to court in November, New Jersey had finally checked with NCIC and found that he was wanted in Georgia for the probation violation. As a suspect in his mother's murder, Georgia extradited him back where he is today. The GBI and the Murray County Sheriff's office has, naturally, never closed the murder case because, of course, there is no statue of limitations for murder.

Recently, the authorities received a tip that Aunt Mary was buried somewhere on her own property. They are currently searching for her, digging and using cadaver dogs. Hopefully she will be found so that she can be returned to her family who is still waiting for some sort of resolution to this case. Paul is being held on $100,000 bond, no ten percent...he would need to come up with the entire amount. If he hadn't murdered my aunt, he would have inherited more than that. As it stands now, his kids are due that money. But, his two sons lied to the police when Aunt Mary went missing so they probably will not be eligible for the inheritance so the other child, a girl, stands to inherit the money unless one of his sons can do the decent thing. Criminals in their own right, that is unlikely.

My father has been asked to contribute DNA from himself and his younger sister so that when they find the body, they can identify it. We are hopeful that she will be found soon but she owned a big bit of land so the search may take a while.

His arrests in New Jersey had to do with heroin so with any luck at all, he went through a dreadful withdrawal when he was imprisoned.

Here is the article from New Jersey reporting his arrest and extradition:

A Port Monmouth man wanted in Georgia captured by authorities in Freehold last week is awaiting extradition, according to authorities.
Paul R. Mergel, 46, is wanted by the Murray County, Georgia, Sheriff's Office for a probation violation stemming from seven counts of forgery in the first degree, according to a criminal complaint out of Freehold Township Municipal Court.
Authorities discovered the out-of-state warrant during a National Crime Information Center database check on Mergel. They then confirmed the warrant and request for Mergel’s extradition with Murray County officials, according to the complaint signed by Sgt. Elija Moore of the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 30
Mergel is being held in the Monmouth County Jail on $100,000 bail, no 10 percent option, and is scheduled to appear before a judge on Nov. 12, according to records.

http://middletown-nj.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/police-arrest-port-monmouth-man-wanted-in-Georgia

He is also a suspect in the murder of his girlfriend in New Jersey by setting her home on fire. He's not that bright, so I have to believe that he will, indeed, pay for his crimes.