Extradition of Local Man Charged with Murdering Girlfriend Expected Friday

The Fort Lee man charged with murder in connection with the brutal hit-and-run death of his girlfriend outside the Monday is expected to be extradited to New Jersey Friday, according to Chief of Detectives Steven Cucciniello of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.

First Assistant Prosecutor John L. Higgins also told Patch Thursday, “A court date is likely early next week—probably Monday or Tuesday.”

Charles J. Ann, 26, of Fort Lee, was charged with murder, after he allegedly struck 25-year-old Aena Hong, also of Fort Lee, with his car and then drove over her multiple times before speeding off.

Officials said the two had been involved in what they described as a “tumultuous dating relationship” for about a year, but have released no further details regarding that.

Cucciniello and Higgins confirmed that Hong had been in the U.S. for about two-and-a-half years on a student visa to attend a language school in Fort Lee.

They also said Ann is a naturalized citizen with a valid U.S. passport, who has been in the country for about 10 years—information that differed slightly from what officials initially released. While officials identified Ann as being “unemployed” at the time of his arrest, Cucciniello and Higgins said Thursday that he was “taking a class or classes” at Bergen Community College.

Ann was arrested at a friend’s apartment in Queens at about 4 a.m. Tuesday after earlier abandoning his Hyundai Sonata on 10th Street in Fort Lee.

Officials said he had his passport and large amount of cash with him at the time of his arrest and was believed to be planning to flee the country.

Cucciniello and Higgins said Thursday that a judge has not yet been assigned to the case.