LONG BRANCH – A man who killed four members of his family with a high-powered rifle on New Year’s Eve in 2017 was sentenced to 150 years in prison.
Scott Kologi, 20, was given what amounts to a life sentence since under the No Early Release Act, he must serve at least 85% of that sentence before even being eligible for parole, which would put him at 147 years old.
His victims included his mother, Linda, 44, father, Steven, 42, sister, Brittany, 18, and his grandfather’s companion, Mary Schulz, 70, of Ocean Township. His brother and grandfather were at the home as well, and survived the attack.
Scott Kologi was arrested, and his Century Arms C39v2 semi-automatic rifle was recovered. He was 16 at the time.
Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey reported that during the sentencing hearing, Schulz’s family read statements into the record. One of them said that every mass shooting that occurs nationwide to this day impacts them with the “brutality and destruction” of what happened.
“These were acts of evil, carried out by someone who knew exactly what he was doing,” said Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor and Trial Director Sean Brennan. “He killed them because he could. He killed them because he wanted to.”
Prosecutors, to show that the murders were premeditated, said that Kologi had done research to determine if the rifle he used would be effective against police bulletproof vests. He also wore earplugs to protect himself during his attacks.
Brennan said Kologi lured his mother upstairs, shooting her to death from the cover of darkness in his room, and then shot his father when he rushed in. Kologi then “slowly maneuvered around their bodies and walked downstairs before casually murdering Schulz and his sister.”
He fired 14 times, with 12 shots hitting victims, Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Caitlin J. Sidley said.
“Our deepest condolences remain with the victims’ family and friends, who continue to feel the impact of the loss of their loved ones and who will live with their grief in perpetuity,” Acting Prosecutor Linskey said.
Linskey also recognized and thanked the numerous members of the Office’s legal, investigative, and victim-witness staffs who worked on the prosecution and trial, including the members of the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office and Long Branch and West Long Branch police departments who assisted.
