A day after his emotional appearance in court, 41-year-old Steven Goff is speaking out about why he finally confessed to a murder that happened more than two decades ago.
"I just couldn't live with myself anymore," he said. "It was tearing me apart."
Goff turned himself in to Galloway Township Police Monday morning for the 1990 murder of 15-year-old Frederick Hart.
Prosecutors say Goff, then 18, stabbed Hart multiple times behind the Clubs Condominiums in Galloway Township on May 7, 1990.
"I lost control over my emotions that day for multiple reasons," said Goff. "I think it might have been because I was whacked out on steroids."
The next day, Hart was reported missing and about a year and a half later, a hunter found his remains in the woods ending the missing person search, prosecutors said.
On Monday, Goff walked into the Galloway Police station to confess to the crime.
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"I wanted to give the family some closure," said Goff. "I think they're entitled to that. For 20 plus years, these people have went to bed, wondering what happened to their son and I wanted to give them some closure."
During his court appearance on Tuesday, the judge explained to Goff that he had not yet been indicted and that he has the right to waive a grand jury investigation but must hire an attorney or public defender first. Goff stated he was prepared to enter a guilty plea right away however and that he couldn't afford an attorney. He is currently being held on $1 million cash bail.
Goff called the last 23 years of his life "a living hell."
"I wasn't worried about getting caught," he said. "I had no chance of getting caught from this crime whatsoever. I was away scot free but you know, that doesn't mean that it was away in my mind."
Now that he's confessed, Goff also has a message for Hart's family.
"I'm sorry," he said. "For over 20 years you have not known what happened to your son and now you know. I can never give him back to you but at least now I hope you see that you have some closure."
