43°
Chad Stuart, 31, of Vineland, was pronounced brain dead on Sept. 24, his sister Mikaela Guzman said. A flag raising ceremony was held at the hospital where he had been treated on Tuesday, Sept. 27, to honor his organ donation.
Walter J. Gilliano, 25, of Franklinville, was initially charged with attempted murder, after he shot Stuart in the head outside of Villari's Sports Bar around 4:45 a.m. Saturday, NJ Advance Media reports. The charge was upgraded to murder following Stuart's death, Franklin Township police confirmed.
According to Gilliano's LinkedIn profile and people who know him, he was a US Marine.
Gilliano apparently told police he shot Stuart during an argument outside of Villari's. Police recovered a Glock 19 handgun at the scene, and a spent .9mm bullet casing near Gilliano's car, NJ.com says.
Meanwhile, Stuart's family and friends launched a movement called #JusticeForChad have even started selling t-shirts. A fundraiser was launched for Stuart's family Wednesday morning.
Stuart graduated from Wilmington University with a degree in business administration in 2016. He was a basketball coach at Faith Bible Church and loved God, his family said. He was passionate about health, fitness, sports, and an avid Philadelphia Eagles fan.
An apprentice electrician, Stuart always wanted everyone to succeed and build the best life for themselves, his sister said. He always looked out for the ones he loved, she said.
"My favorite memory of Chad was going to the track and working out with him during COVID because we had nothing else to do," Mikaela said. "He wanted everyone to live a healthy and happy life."
Click here to follow Daily Voice Northern Highlands and receive free news updates.
