The New Jersey teen accused of fatally mowing down two girls in a wealthy neighborhood last year appeared stone-faced in court Monday as the victims’ sobbing mothers stared him down in court while wearing T-shirts with their faces.

Vincent Battiloro, the son of a former cop from a well-connected family, was hauled into a Union County courtroom in Elizabeth, his first in-person appearance since prosecutors charged him as an adult with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Cranford High School seniors Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas, both 17.

Battiloro, of Garwood, was also 17 when he allegedly mowed down Niotis and Salas, who were riding e-bikes, on a quiet Cranford street in September 2025, according to prosecutors.

Battiloro’s Jeep was driving 70 mph in a 25 mph zone at the time, police said.

Battiloro, now 18, wearing an khaki-colored jail jumpsuit, a grey t-shirt underneath, and slippers, was emotionless as he was escorted into the courtroom handcuffed at the front of his body.

An entire row of the courtroom gallery was filled with family members and supporters for Niotis and Salas, wearing t-shirts that said “Justice for Bella and Maria.”

The girls’ mothers sobbed in court and stared Battiloro down when he entered for the brief hearing. 

Battiloro’s lawyer, Rubin Sinins, pleaded not guilty on his behalf and said they were considering using the insanity defense. Sinins said he’d also be asking for Battiloro to be tried in another jurisdiction.

After, Salas’ mom, Maria Salas spoke to the media through tears, saying, “We will fight like hell until they get the justice they deserve.”

“It’s harder and harder every day,” Niotis’ mom, Foula Niotis said. “I just wish I could bring her back. But I know I can’t.

“So I have to get justice for her and Bella. It’s the only way, because I believe that’s where their souls will rest as well.”

Battiloro, the son of a former police officer, was allegedly arrested the day of the incident after fleeing the scene on foot, but was released without being charged mere hours later to his dad, Jeffrey Battiloro, Niotis’ family lawyer Brent Bramnick previously alleged.

Battiloro was arrested two days later and initially charged as a juvenile. He was then charged as an adult in June.

Bramnick said he wanted to know if Battiloro’s family cop ties, including that his dad is a retired Chatham Borough cop and his uncle is a police chief in nearby Westfield, influenced the probe into the murders.

“Show us what happened that night, when allegedly, the defendant’s father came to the scene, and he was let go,” Bramnick said outside of court Monday.

The families released a joint statement Monday saying they wanted the state attorney general to investigate “all law enforcement dealings and interactions with Vincent Battiloro and his family.” They asked that the findings be made public after.

Bramnick also blasted the fact that the victim families have been stonewalled in their quest to obtain the police body camera footage from the incident.

“Right now, we don’t have anybody’s cams, and it’s a year later. That’s concerning,” Bramnick said. “Where are the body cams? Why are we not looking at them? The public has a right to know what happened before this incident. What led up to this?”

As for the fact that Battiloro’s lawyers said they might use a “diminished capacity” or insanity defense, Salas family lawyer Cory Rothbort said: “That’s their strategy. That’s their tactic. We prepared the families for that.”

When Battiloro first spoke to police, he claimed he had been carjacked by an armed and masked person, but his own dash camera footage showed he was the one driving a Jeep Compass, prosecutors claimed.

He then allegedly drove toward one of the girls’ homes near Burnside Avenue in Cranford and parked until he saw the duo on bikes, prosecutors alleged.

He made a U-turn and then raced in their direction, taking them out, prosecutors claimed.

Niotis’ family claims Battiloro had stalked Maria for months prior, a fact which they reported to the police. They claimed cops failed to intervene.

The troubled teen’s own mom and dad also made four calls to the police in the weeks before the killings, reporting juvenile issues, including that Battiloro allegedly sprayed his dad in the face with mace and stole his car.

If convicted, Battiloro faces up to life in prison.