Teen charged with murder in hit-and-run that killed two friends on e-bike pleads not guilty
A New Jersey teen accused of intentionally ramming his SUV into two 17-year-old girls riding an e-bike, killing them, pleaded not guilty to murder charges on Monday.
Vincent Battiloro, 18, appeared in court for his arraignment on Monday, following his indictment earlier this month on two counts of first-degree murder.
The victims -- Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas, both 17 -- were killed on Sept. 29, 2025, after authorities said a Jeep Compass driving at a high rate of speed struck them while the two friends were riding the e-bike on a residential street in Cranford.
The SUV was located nearby with "major front-end damage and an e-bike embedded into the front of the vehicle," according to the complaint. Battiloro allegedly fled from the scene on foot, according to the complaint. When later questioned by police, he allegedly said he had been carjacked by a masked individual armed with a knife while driving the SUV that afternoon, according to the complaint.
Battiloro, who was 17 at the time, was arrested two days later and initially charged as a juvenile with murder. He was waived to adult court in June.
Battiloro did not speak during Monday's hearing, his first since being charged as an adult. One of his attorneys entered his plea on his behalf.
The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for Dec. 14. ABC News has reached out to his attorneys for comment on the charges but did not immediately receive a response.
Family members of the victims attended Monday's hearing, wearing sweatshirts with their names and faces printed on them.
"Maria and Isabella should be alive today," their families said in a joint statement on Monday. "These families, and every parent in this community, deserve to know how this unspeakable catastrophe was allowed to happen."
The families call on the New Jersey attorney general to open an investigation "concerning the events leading to the deaths of Maria and Isabella, including investigating all law enforcement's dealings and interactions with Vincent Battiloro and his family."
The families of the girls had alleged in a statement following Battiloro's arrest that the suspect plotted an attack against Niotis for months, killing her and also her friend in the "horrific act."
Authorities have not commented on an alleged motive.
