Two men indicted in separate killings

Two men were indicted yesterday on murder charges stemming from the unrelated fatal beatings of two other men in New Brunswick, one in June and the other in August.

Reinaldo Fuentes, 20, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, was charged by a Middlesex County grand jury with murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a controlled dangerous substance.

The second man, Randy Collins, 33, is charged with the murder of his 88-year-old neighbor.

Fuentes is charged with beating his roommate, Adrian Betanzos, 26, to death in the early morning of June 29 in the room they shared at 138 French St.

Authorities said Fuentes stabbed Betanzos, found lying on his bed, in the abdomen.

Betanzos also suffered "significant" blunt-force trauma to his head, said Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Nicholas Sewitch. Sewitch said in July investigators found a knife and a "blunt instrument." The motive for the killing is under investigation, Sewitch said.

Collins is charged with beating Robert Aldrich to death in his apartment at 1101 Livingston Ave. Aldrich lived a floor above Collins. Police were called to the building the evening of Aug. 4 and found Aldrich, a World War II veteran, in his apartment. He was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where he died hours later.

Authorities said Collins, who has a history of mental illness, and Aldrich knew each other.

Building superintendent Glenn Rosshirt said in August he called 911 after Collins acted erratically. He said Collins was banging on a window and yelling obscenities.

Rosshirt said when police arrived they saw blood on Collins and followed a trail of blood on the walls up to the victim's room.

Aldrich had lived in the apartment with his nephew for about 15 years, Rosshirt said, and was kind and personable. "If you were a Yankees fan, you were an instant best friend," Rosshirt said.

Fuentes was in the Middlesex County jail yesterday in lieu of $1 million bail. Collins has been held under psychiatric observation since his arrest. His bail was also set at $1 million.

Sue Epstein may be reached at (732) 249-5670 or and sepstein@starledger.com.