A New Jersey State Trooper — as soon as entrusted with defending the governor — gunned down his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend earlier than killing himself, following months of stalking after their breakup.
Franklin Township police rushed to a Pittstown house on Saturday round 12:20 p.m. after receiving a report of an unconscious lady, Hunterdon County prosecutors revealed Monday.
Inside, officers discovered Lauren Semanchik, 33, and Tyler Webb, 29, useless from gunshot wounds in what prosecutors referred to as a “focused assault.”
Detectives shortly recognized Semanchik’s ex-boyfriend, New Jersey State Trooper Lt. Ricardo Santos, 45, as a doable suspect and commenced looking for him.
Quickly after the search started, Santos was discovered useless from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his 2008 white Mercedes in Piscataway, about 50 miles away, prosecutors mentioned.
A semiautomatic handgun, believed to be the homicide weapon, was discovered beside Santos.
Investigators later discovered that Franklin Township law enforcement officials responded to a 911 name within the space of Semanchik’s residence the evening earlier than — the place “audible gunshots and screaming” have been heard by the operator — however have been by no means in a position to pinpoint the place the noises got here from.
Police additionally discovered that Semanchik, a veterinarian, had put in cameras in her automobile after reporting that Santos was stalking her.
Footage captured her car leaving her veterinary workplace in Lengthy Valley Friday at 5:25 p.m.
The rear digicam recorded Santos’ Mercedes intently following Semanchik from her office to her house.
Semanchik arrived house simply earlier than 6 p.m. Ten minutes later, somebody emerged from the woods bordering her driveway.
Practically half an hour later, Webb’s car arrives on the house and parks subsequent to Semanchik’s car, prosecutors mentioned.
Semanchik’s household advised CBS Information her father was the one who found his daughters and Webb’s physique on Saturday, and it appeared that “she was operating away” when she was killed.
“She was shot within the again,” Semanchik’s sister, Deanna, mentioned. “She gave a lot of her life to different individuals and he or she deserved so a lot better.”
The household recounted the chilling sequence of occasions that started after Semanchik ended her relationship with Santos in September 2024.
Semanchik and Santos had solely been courting for 3 months when she ended the connection, and shortly after started being stalked and “harassed” by the trooper.
“She tried to dam him many occasions and he continued to name her from restricted numbers. He confirmed up at her work, that’s the place the automobile was keyed,” Deanna Semanchik advised the outlet.
“He put recording units in her house, water in her gasoline tank. He harassed her left and proper.”
The sufferer’s mom, Jeannine Semanchik, mentioned her daughter tried to make regulation enforcement conscious of her loopy ex, however nothing was ever performed to guard her.
“Plenty of companies failed her. She tried to get restraining orders. No person referred to as her again,” Jeannine Semanchik mentioned.
Santos beforehand labored as a supervisor on Gov. Phil Murphy’s safety element, CBS Information reported.
“We’re shocked and devastated by this horrific tragedy,” a spokesperson for his workplace mentioned. “Because of the regulation enforcement investigation presently underway, we are going to chorus from additional remark presently.”
Semanchik earned her undergraduate and veterinary levels from the College of Wisconsin and was a beloved veterinarian at Lengthy Valley Animal Hospital, whose ardour for serving to animals was unmatched.
“Not solely was Lauren an outstanding veterinarian, she was one of many kindest souls you possibly can ever encounter and a buddy to us all,” in accordance with a GoFundMe web page launched by her co-workers to assist with funeral bills and to honor her reminiscence by way of charitable donations.
“She was light, by no means judgmental, and gave hugs and hand-holding to households that wanted help essentially the most throughout their most troublesome moments.”
Webb was a member of the Pinewald Pioneer Volunteer Fireplace Firm, who “served our division with dedication and honor,” the fireplace firm wrote on Fb.
“He held the positions of Chief Engineer, Previous Lieutenant, and Previous Trustee throughout his time with the corporate. His contributions to our firm and group won’t ever be forgotten.”
Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée Robeson confirmed the case was being investigated as an act of home violence and a focused double murder.
