SEASIDE PARK — Charges against two men accused of beating a Trenton man in Seaside Park last weekend were upgraded to murder after the victim died, authorities said this morning.
Ocean County Prosecutor Marlene Lynch Ford said the new charges were filed against David Armfield Jr. and Marquis McRae after Seaside Park police were advised Kamau Keita, 26, died on Sunday.
Keita, a visitor to the Ocean County resort town, succumbed to his injuries a week after being attacked early May 28.
Ford called it a “senseless beating” that police are still investigating.
“We allege that these defendants participated in a vicious beating of Mr. Keita, that they kicked and stomped him while he was defenseless and helpless and that they ultimately caused his death,’’ Ford said in a written statement.
She said undercover Seaside Park police officers were patrolling the area of Farragut Avenue by Municipal Lot 1 in the northern end of the borough around 5 a.m. when they saw Armfield and McRae beating Keita. Keita was on the ground and was unconscious when the officers arrived, Ford said.
Keita was airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune but he never regained consciousness.
An autopsy is scheduled for later today to determine the actual cause of death.
Authorities are asking that anyone with information about the attack call prosecutor Detective Brian Haggerty at 732-929-2027 or Seaside Park Detective Matthew Brady at 732-793-8000.
Both men are being held on $500,000 in lieu of bail in the Ocean County Jail in Toms River. They were initially charged with aggravated assault.

SEASIDE HEIGHTS — A melee among 20 people at Sheridan Avenue and the boardwalk Monday night left one man with a stab wound and six people arrested, said Detective Steve Korman.The victim was a 28-year-old Ewing Township man who was in stable condition after being flown to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune. The stab wound was discovered by police while breaking up the fight, Korman said.
The incident was reported at 8 p.m., police said.
Police charged Desean Clark, 30, of Trenton, with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon — a knife — and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, Korman said. Clark is being held at the Ocean County Jail in lieu of $200,000 bail.
The Seaside Heights Police force was at full staff and the officers were quick to diffuse the matter and arrest the individuals involved, said Police Chief Thomas Boyd.
Five additional men were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, Korman said. Police charged Tyriq Barr, 19, John Vega, 20 and Brandon Lyman, 20, all of Ewing Township; Jean Severin Jr., 20, Florence and Davonte Washington, 19, of Yardville, Korman said.