Yaqeen Blog

On the night of December 2, 2016, 19-year-old Sarah Stern disappeared, leaving her Oldsmobile 88 idling on the Route 35 bridge in Belmar, New Jersey. It looked like a tragic suicide—until the very people who helped search for her were caught on camera bragging about how they "timed" her death.

This wasn't just a murder; it was the ultimate betrayal by a childhood friend and a prom date.

🕊️ The Victim: Sarah Stern

Sarah was a talented 19-year-old artist and aspiring media student. She was known for her vibrant personality and a deep love for her family and her dog. She had recently come into a $10,000 inheritance from her late mother—a sum of money that would ultimately become the motive for her murder.

👹 The Antagonists: Liam McAtasney and Preston Taylor

The betrayal in this case is unparalleled.

• Liam McAtasney: A childhood friend who had known Sarah since they were six years old. He was the mastermind who planned the robbery and murder for six months.

• Preston Taylor: Sarah’s junior prom date and Liam’s roommate. He helped dispose of the body and staged the car on the bridge to mimic a suicide.

🔬 The Crime: Calculated Cruelty

On December 2, Liam went to Sarah’s house under the guise of friendship. Once inside, he strangled her. During his trial, the jury heard a chilling confession he made to a friend, Anthony Curry, who was wearing a wire.

The "Timer" Confession

In the secret recording, Liam described the murder with horrific detachment:

• The Stopwatch: He admitted to using a stopwatch on his phone to time how long it took Sarah to die. He claimed it took 30 minutes.

• The Struggle: He described lifting her off the ground as she struggled and mentioned that her dog "just sat there and watched."

• The Discard: After killing her, he hid her body in a bathroom, went to his job at a restaurant, and later returned with Preston to dump her over the Belmar Bridge into the Shark River.

Note: Despite massive search efforts, Sarah Stern’s body has never been found.

⚖️ The Verdict and Justice

The case was solved largely due to Anthony Curry, a filmmaker and friend of Liam, who went to the police after Liam had previously "vlog-pitched" a murder plot that sounded exactly like Sarah’s disappearance.

Preston Taylor took a plea deal and testified against Liam, describing how they threw Sarah’s body "like a bag of trash" over the railing of the bridge.

🔗 Verified Investigative Resources

• NJ Courts (Official Opinion): State of New Jersey vs. Preston Taylor - Case Details

• CBS News: Jury Finds Liam McAtasney Guilty of Strangling Sarah Stern

• Asbury Park Press Archives: The Investigation and Confession Tapes

• Investigation Discovery: Secret Video Shows Man Describe Murder of Childhood Friend

🌍 The Legacy for Gen Z

This case serves as a dark warning about the "Connected Generation" and digital footprints. Liam was caught because he treated a real-life murder like a movie script he was pitching to a friend. The betrayal of a prom date and a lifelong friend resonated globally, highlighting that sometimes the most dangerous people are the ones we trust most.