LONG BRANCH – A 58-year-old city man has been charged with the killings of a Long Branch woman and her 10-year-old foster daughter who were found strangled after the woman allegedly caught him taking pornographic images of the young girl, authorities said.

Brian Farmer, 58, of John Street in Long Branch, was charged Wednesday evening with two counts of first-degree murder for allegedly strangling his 62-year-old cousin Joan Colbert and her 10-year-old foster daughter Veronica Roach to death, the prosecutor's office said.

Farmer was also charged with one count of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

On Aug. 1, the bodies of Colbert and Roach were found in their first-floor apartment on Lippincott Avenue, authorities said.

A 13-day investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and the Long Branch Police Department revealed Farmer was at the home on July 30, at which time Colbert discovered him taking taking pornographic photographs of 10-year-old Vernoica Roach, the prosecutor's office said.

A confrontation ensued, which ended with Farmer killing Colbert and the girl before fleeing the scene, authorities said.

Detectives discovered pornographic pictures of Roach on Farmer's cellular phone prompting the child endangerment charges, the prosecutor's office said.

Farmer is accused of causing the girl to engage in a prohibited sexual act while simultaneously photographing the girl, photographing the girl while engaged in a prohibited sexual act, engaging in sexual conduct with the child, and possession of child pornography, the prosecutor's office said.

An autopsy performed by Middlesex County Assistant Medical Examiner Dr. Diane Karluk ruled both deaths were the result of a homicide, and that both victims died as the result of strangulation, authorities said.

If convicted of both charges of first-degree murder, Farmer could be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Farmer could also be sentenced 10 to 20 years in prison for first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, 5 to 10 years on the second-degree charge for the same offense. On each of the third degree endangering the welfare of a child charges could carry 3 to 5 years, authorities said.

Farmer was lodged in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold Township on $2.5 million cash-only bail as set by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Francis J. Vernoia.

Anyone with additional information about this case is urged to call Detective Richard Chapman, of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office at 732-577-8700, or Detective Ross Zotti, of the Long Branch Police Department at 732-222-1000.