A nearly decade-old missing-person case in New Jersey has reached a conclusion after Michael A. Zappley was sentenced to 12 years in state prison for the aggravated manslaughter of Miguel Martinez III. Martinez disappeared in 2016, and the investigation remained unresolved for several years before a witness came forward and provided information that led authorities to human remains discovered at multiple properties in Deptford.
Martinez Reported Missing in 2016
Miguel Martinez III was reported missing by his family on June 15, 2016. Investigators worked to determine what had happened to him, but the case eventually went cold without locating Martinez.
A major development came in January 2020 when a witness contacted investigators and provided information indicating that Martinez had been killed. The witness also gave authorities details about what happened to his remains.
Investigators subsequently searched several properties along Fox Run Road in Deptford, New Jersey.
106 Bones Discovered During Investigation
Authorities recovered 106 bones during searches of the properties. The remains were identified as human, and subsequent DNA and genetic testing established that they belonged to Martinez.
According to prosecutors, Zappley admitted that he became involved in an altercation with Martinez. During the confrontation, Zappley said he restricted Martinez’s airway and struck him in the head with a steel door.
Zappley later told investigators that Martinez’s body was left outside overnight. He then moved the remains to a wooded area near Fox Run Road and attempted to burn them.
The investigation ultimately resulted in Zappley’s arrest and indictment in December 2020 on charges that included murder, desecration of human remains and tampering with physical evidence.
Zappley Receives 12-Year Prison Sentence
Zappley, 69, of Westville, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in August 2026. He was sentenced on Sept. 18 to 12 years in state prison.
Under the terms of the sentence, Zappley must serve 85% of the prison term before becoming eligible for parole.
The case brings a lengthy investigation into Martinez’s disappearance to a close, following years of uncertainty for his family and a breakthrough that came from witness information in 2020.
