The deaths of a man and woman, who died in an apparent explosion at a Tranquility Court home, has been ruled a murder-suicide, according to Tom Gilbert, Chief of Detectives of the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office (GCPO) on May 13.
On Sunday, May 11, at approximately 2:03 a.m., the Washington Township police and fire departments responded to reports of a house fire and possible explosion at 13 Tranquility Court in Sewell, according to a press release through the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office.
Police received multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting a loud explosion and fire in the area of Tranquility Court and Orion Way, police said.
Upon arrival, first responders found the residence fully engulfed in flames. The Washington Township Fire Department, with assistance from neighboring fire departments, was able to bring the fire under control and extinguish it.
During a search of the home, investigators discovered the bodies of two deceased individuals inside. A male, believed to be the tenant of the residence, was located in the living room with a handgun found near the body. His identity is pending official confirmation. The Gloucester County Medical Examiner has ruled his death a suicide caused by the fire.
Also found was a female victim, whose identity is also pending official confirmation. She was located on a bed in a bedroom and had suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head at a time preceding the fire. Her death has been ruled a homicide by the Gloucester County Medical Examiner.
Investigation conducted in the aftermath of the fire revealed the presence of an accelerant and that the home’s gas line had been tampered with, enabling unrestricted flow of natural gas into the home’s interior, according to the press release.
The explosion of the home, which is in a cul-de-sac, caused damage to homes next to it, Gilbert said.
The circumstances surrounding the fire and the deaths are being jointly investigated by the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, the Washington Township Police Department, and the Gloucester County Fire Marshal’s Office.
As this remains an active and ongoing investigation, further information will be released as it becomes available. Anyone with information relevant to this investigation is encouraged to contact Detective Allen Williams, of the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, at (856) 384-5622, or Detective Matthew Laudenslager, of the Washington Township Police Department, at (856) 589-0330 ext. 1176. Information can also be e-mailed to the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office at tips@co.gloucester.nj.us.
