What to Know A man was found dead in the middle of a road in a heavily wooded area in New Jersey's Monmouth County early Friday, authorities say

Law enforcement swarmed the scene after patrolling officers made the discovery on Hurley Pond Road around 3:15 a.m.

A law enforcement source says there's evidence to indicate victim may have jumped out of vehicle, then been caught and killed by attackers

A man possibly trying to escape attackers jumped out of a car and tried to run on a New Jersey street, then apparently was caught and murdered, his body left in the middle of the road, a law enforcement source familiar with the case tells News 4.



A person passing through the area came upon the grisly scene on Howell's Hurley Pond Road around 3:15 a.m. Friday. Responding officers initially thought the dead man was a hit-and-run victim, the law-enforcement source said.



The man, thought to be in his 20s, appeared to have had his face hacked, a witness reported. The body had significant trauma.



The area was shut down for hours as authorities investigated.

Eerily, the body was found less than a mile away from where a short film is being produced about a vigilante serial killer.



The investigation is ongoing.