New Jersey Police Lieutenant Accused Of Killing Ex-girlfriend And Her Boyfriend In Murder-suicide

A New Jersey authorities constabulary lieutenant, who besides served connected Gov. Phil Murphy’s information detail, allegedly followed his ex-girlfriend location from activity Friday evening and fatally changeable her and her caller boyfriend.

The shootings happened adjacent a residence successful nan Pittstown conception of Franklin Township. Lauren Semanchik, 33, a section veterinarian, and Tyler Webb, 29, were recovered dormant Saturday from evident gunshot wounds, nan Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office said successful a news release.

Ricardo Jorge Santos, pinch nan New Jersey State Police, is accused of shooting Semanchik and Webb earlier sidesplitting himself, prosecutors said. He was recovered dormant successful a achromatic Mercedes SUV parked successful Piscataway. A weapon was located wrong nan vehicle, nan merchandise stated.

The Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office preliminarily wished his decease to beryllium a suicide.

State constabulary did not instantly return a petition for remark connected Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Gov. Murphy said, "We are shocked and devastated by this horrific tragedy."

"Due to nan rule enforcement investigation presently underway, we will refrain from further remark astatine this time," nan spokesperson said.

Semanchik and Webb had precocious started dating, prosecutors said. She had antecedently ended a narration pinch Santos astir September. Following nan breakup, Semanchik had accused Santos of engaging successful "harassing and controlling behavior," according to nan news release.

The prosecutor's agency said that Semanchik had installed a video information strategy successful her car, and it showed her leaving activity successful Long Valley connected Friday arsenic a achromatic Mercedes SUV pulls retired of a parking abstraction and intimately follows her until she arrives home.

The video showed a personification "surreptitiously stepping done nan wooded area on nan driveway starring up to nan residence," prosecutors said. Webb’s conveyance past arrived astatine nan location and parked adjacent to Semanchik’s vehicle.

The prosecutor's agency said that Franklin Township constabulary were initially called to nan area conscionable aft 7 p.m. connected Friday for reports of gunshots and screaming. Officers, however, did not find anything.

On Saturday afternoon, nan constabulary section received different 911 telephone reporting that a female had been recovered unconscious astatine a home. Responding officers located nan bodies of Semanchik and Webb.

Prosecutor Renée Robeson called nan deaths a "senseless and devastating loss."

"We widen our deepest condolences to nan families and loved ones of Dr. Lauren Semanchik and Tyler Webb, whose lives were tragically taken successful an enactment of home violence," Robeson said successful a statement.

"We impulse anyone experiencing threats, harassment, aliases maltreatment to activity thief and cognize they are not alone," she said. "Resources are available, and location is spot successful reaching out. Together, we will proceed to activity toward a safer early for all."

Semanchik's mother, Jennine Semanchik, told NJ.com that her girl met Santos online successful early 2024. She said that aft nan narration ended, Santos many times reached out. Her girl called section constabulary seeking to record a restraining order, but was not issued one, Jennine Semanchik said.

Franklin Township constabulary and nan prosecutor's agency did not instantly return a petition for remark connected Tuesday.