‘She made fun of Charlie Kirk’s death’: Accused hit-and-run stalker discussed motive for murder in livestream

Video game livestream footage shows Vincent Battiloro, suspected of striking and killing two New Jersey teenage girls, who investigators now say he had been stalking, referring to the victims and mentioning how, according to Battiloro, 17, one of the girls had posted on TikTok, making “fun of Charlie Kirk’s death.”

On September 29, 2025, Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas, both 17, were fatally struck by a black Jeep Compass while riding an electric bike in Cranford, New Jersey. The driver fled the scene, abandoning the vehicle nearby. Authorities later identified the suspect as a 17-year-old male from Garwood, New Jersey, who has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

“She better be thinking Charlie Kirk”

In the gaming livestream, Battiloro says, “Whenever Maria sees the pizza guy come, she better be thinking Charlie Kirk for making fun of his f—king death.” A voice on the stream inquires more about what he meant. Battiloro responds, “She made fun of Charlie Kirk’s death in a repost. Maybe her mother should monitor her social media activity.” He also mentions having a “burner phone” without providing further context.

On YouTube, Battiloro called it a “tragic accident”

Battiloro’s name was not officially released by law enforcement following his arrest. Under New Jersey law, the names of juveniles charged with crimes are generally kept confidential unless and until a judge approves moving the case to adult court.

His identity became public through court records and media reporting. Before his arrest, he made a statement about the tragedy during a livestream on YouTube, describing the crash as a “tragic accident” and denying stalking accusations.

In the video, he portrayed himself as a victim of bullying and false accusations, stating, “There’s more to the story that you’re not getting.”

According to reports, Battiloro had been exhibiting disturbing behavior, including sitting in a car outside Niotis’ house for extended periods. These actions led to the filing of a restraining order against him. Despite these complaints, family members expressed frustration that no action was taken to prevent the tragedy.

Battiloro is currently in custody and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Because he is a juvenile, the case is being handled in juvenile court. Prosecutors are weighing whether to seek a waiver to try him as an adult due to the severity of the charges.