Killer Who Made Pit Stop At Cape May Wawa Gets Life In PA Coworker's Murder Killer Who Made Pit Stop At Cape May Wawa Gets Life In PA Coworker's Murder
Killer Who Made Pit Stop At Cape May Wawa Gets Life In PA Coworker's Murder A man described by authorities as a "violent predator" was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Monday, Sept. 9 for kidnapping, robbing, and killing a Pennsylvania co-worker, authorities announced. Michael Allen Stark, 50, of Royersford, PA was found guilty by a Bucks County jury of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, robbery, kidnapping, theft by unlawful taking, flight to avoid apprehension, and abuse of a corpse, according to District Attorney Jennifer Schorn and court records. Stark's victim was 50-year-old Matthew James Branning of Sellersville, who went missing after l…
SpaceX Launch Dazzles NJ Residents SpaceX Launch Dazzles NJ Residents
SpaceX Launch Dazzles NJ Residents No, it wasn't a UFO. That was a SpaceX rocket you saw early Tuesday, Sept. 10. Falcon 9 launched its Polaris Dawn rocket into space from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at 5:23 a.m. Daily Voice readers captured footage of the rocket from Hackensack and Westwood, NJ (see Instagram reel below). Others shared videos of the rocket over Pennsylvania, Maryland, NYC, and more. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Daily Voice NJ (@dailyvoicenewjersey) Dawn jellyfish of Polaris Dawn lights up the skies over the Susquehanna River! pic.twi…
Two $10K Mega Millions Tickets Purchased In Sayreville, Hazlet Two $10K Mega Millions Tickets Purchased In Sayreville, Hazlet
Two $10K Mega Millions Tickets Purchased In Sayreville, Hazlet Two lottery tickets worth $10,000 were sold in Middlesex and Monmouth counties, officials said. The winning Mega Millions tickets were purchased in the drawing on Friday, Sept. 6, the New Jersey Lottery said in a news release on Monday, Sept. 9. The winners were sold at the E-Z Chek food store on Main Street in Sayreville and the ShopRite supermarket on Route 35 in Hazlet. The winning numbers were 6, 23, 41, 59, and 63. The Mega Ball was 25. A ticket worth $20,000 was also purchased at a convenience store in Medford. No one in the U.S. matched all six numbers to win th…
John Gaudreau's Wife Announces Pregnancy With Third Baby At Funeral John Gaudreau's Wife Announces Pregnancy With Third Baby At Funeral
John Gaudreau's Wife Announces Pregnancy With Third Baby At Funeral As if the Gaudreau's story couldn't get any more tragic, Johnny's wife, Meredith, announced she's nine weeks pregnant with their third child — "a total surprise" — at his funeral service on Monday, Sept. 9. During her eulogy live-streamed by the Calgary Flames, Meredith said she and John shared an amazing six months as a family of four. Then announced there was another baby on the way. The audience audibly gasped at the news.  "These will forever be the best six months of my life," she said from the service in Delaware County, PA. "There's specifically one week I'll cherish forever, it…
Here's Livestream For Gaudreau Brothers' PA Funeral Here's Livestream For Gaudreau Brothers' PA Funeral
Here's Livestream For Gaudreau Brothers' PA Funeral A funeral service for brothers Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau is underway. UPDATE: John Gaudreau's Wife Announces Pregnancy With Third Baby At Funeral The Calgary Flames are streaming the Pennsylvania service. Click here for the link. The brothers were struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver while riding their bicycles on Aug. 29 in New Jersey. The service began at 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at  St Mary Magdalen's Church in Media, PA.  Police said that the event will cause major impacts to traffic.
Popular NJ Luncheonette For Sale After 50 Years Popular NJ Luncheonette For Sale After 50 Years
Popular NJ Luncheonette For Sale After 50 Years An iconic New Jersey eatery is being sold after nearly 50 years of business. Lucille's Luncheonette at 1496 Route 539 in Barnegat, is on the market for just under $780,000. Lucille's, which was featured on Anthony Bourdain's "Parts Unknown" in 2015 and made it to the late acclaimed chef's official food trail, was opened in 1975 by Jim and Lucille Bates. "This little roadside cafe on 539 quickly became the place to stop on the way to the Shore for visitors to LBI and became the place for the locals to venture to for a good home cooked meal when you didn't want to cook at home," the eat…
Trenton Police Sergeant Exposed Himself To Female Officers In Dept. Gym, Lawsuit Claims Trenton Police Sergeant Exposed Himself To Female Officers In Dept. Gym, Lawsuit Claims
Trenton Police Sergeant Exposed Himself To Female Officers In Dept. Gym, Lawsuit Claims A Trenton police sergeant was accused of exposing himself in front of two female officers in the department's gym several times, according to a sexual harassment lawsuit. The two officers filed a civil suit on Friday, Aug. 9 against Sgt. Noel Santiago, accusing him of sexual harassment and other forms of creating a hostile workplace. The officers also claimed the police department didn't properly respond to their allegations against Santiago, who had a supervisory role over them. Daily Voice reached out to the Trenton Police Department to comment on the suit. The department hadn't…
Labor Day Weekend Winner: Middlesex Lotto Ticket Nets $132K+ Prize Labor Day Weekend Winner: Middlesex Lotto Ticket Nets $132K+ Prize
Labor Day Weekend Winner: Middlesex Lotto Ticket Nets $132K+ Prize Two lottery tickets in Central Jersey were worth tens of thousands of dollars over Labor Day weekend, officials said. The winners were in the Quick Draw Progressive game, the New Jersey Lottery said in a news release on Tuesday, Sept. 3. The first winning ticket was from a drawing on Friday, Aug. 30. It was worth $35,883 and purchased at Gateway Bar & Liquors on Route 36 in Atlantic Highlands. The second winner was in a drawing on Saturday, Aug. 31. It was worth $132,164 and bought at the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE) lodge on Bound Brook Road in Mi…
Jackpot! Lotto Ticket Sold Online In NJ Wins Big Jackpot! Lotto Ticket Sold Online In NJ Wins Big
Jackpot! Lotto Ticket Sold Online In NJ Wins Big It was a Sunday funday for a lottery player in New Jersey. A ticket sold online in the Garden State matched all five numbers in the Jersey Cash 5 drawing held on Sunday, Sept. 1, winning $164,874. The ticket was online via the Jackpocket app, based in Hewitt in Passaic County. The winning numbers were: 01, 05, 17, 20 and 36 and the XTRA number was: 02. The Bullseye number was 01. 
'It Was Always Matty And John:' Pregnant Gaudreau Widow Has Special Message For Sister-In-Law 'It Was Always Matty And John:' Pregnant Gaudreau Widow Has Special Message For Sister-In-Law
'It Was Always Matty And John:' Pregnant Gaudreau Widow Has Special Message For Sister-In-Law Madeline Gaudreau is speaking out after her husband and his brother's death, leaving her a single mom-to-be — tragically, unexpectedly. Madeline, who was expecting baby Tripp with 29-year-old Matthew Gaudreau when he and his 31-year-old brother Johnny were struck and killed by suspected drunk driver and New Jersey National Guardsman, Sean Higgins. She says the two were each other's best friends. "It was always Matty & John," Madeline said on Instagram days after the Oldmans Township crash. "I can’t even put into words the bond these two had and right now I don’t have the strength.…
Sean Higgins Worked At Substance Abuse Center, Was Member Of NJ National Guard: Reports Sean Higgins Worked At Substance Abuse Center, Was Member Of NJ National Guard: Reports
Sean Higgins Worked At Substance Abuse Center, Was Member Of NJ National Guard: Reports More information about Sean Higgins, the suspected DUI driver who killed Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau last week, is coming to light. The 43-year-old Woodstown resident who police say struck 31-year-old Johnny and 29-year-old Matthew in Oldmans Township last week, was a New Jersey National Guardsman who worked at a substance abuse treatment center. Photos on the Department of Defense website show Higgins receiving a COVID-19 vaccination in January 2021, and embracing a child in Kosovo in 2019. A state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs spokesperson confirmed Higgins is a f…
Tolls Increase On These 4 Bridges Between NJ, PA For First Time Since 2011 Tolls Increase On These 4 Bridges Between NJ, PA For First Time Since 2011
Tolls Increase On These 4 Bridges Between NJ, PA For First Time Since 2011 Tolls are going up on four Delaware River Port Authority bridges between New Jersey and Pennsylvania on Sunday, Sept. 1 for the first time since 2011. The increase on the Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, Commodore Barry, and Walt Whitman bridges went into effect at midnight.  For passenger vehicles, motorcycles, and small trucks, tolls increased from $5 to $6. For recreational vehicles and mobile homes, tolls go up from $.7.50 to $9 per axle. For buses, the increase goes from $3.75 to $4.50. “DRPA must undertake vital safety and security upgrades and infrastructure improvements,” s…
NJ College Cracks Hot Missing Persons Case NJ College Cracks Hot Missing Persons Case
NJ College Cracks Hot Missing Persons Case Students and staff from a New Jersey college center have cracked a hot missing persons case from across the country. The Ramapo College of New Jersey's Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center (IGG) worked in collaboration with authorities in St. Louis County, MI, to successfully identify “St. Louis John Doe,” who had been missing since 2021. "This was a hot case, which generally refers to the presence of active, investigative leads," reads a release from Ramapo College's IGG. "The use of IGG in hot cases is a fairly new and growing concept." IGG's assistant director, Cairenn Binder, sa…
Chunk Of Flesh Ripped From Head Of 350-Pound Dead Dolphin By Shark In NJ, Officials Say Chunk Of Flesh Ripped From Head Of 350-Pound Dead Dolphin By Shark In NJ, Officials Say
Chunk Of Flesh Ripped From Head Of 350-Pound Dead Dolphin By Shark In NJ, Officials Say A 350-pound bottlenose dolphin was found entangled in a net floating close to the New Jersey shoreline this week, officials said. The Marine Mammal Stranding Center said that a shark had ripped a chunk of flesh from the 7.6-foot, 350-pound dolphin's head after it had died. On Thursday August 29th the Marine Mammal Stranding Center responded to a report of a deceased dolphin entangled in a... Posted by Marine Mammal Stranding Center on Friday, August 30, 2024 The MMSC responded to reports of the dead dolphin entangled in a net floating close to shore in Long Branch on Thursday,…
'Best Years Of My Life:' Johnny Gaudreau's Wife Speaks Out After Deadly Wreck 'Best Years Of My Life:' Johnny Gaudreau's Wife Speaks Out After Deadly Wreck
'Best Years Of My Life:' Johnny Gaudreau's Wife Speaks Out After Deadly Wreck Johnny Gaudreau's wife, Meredith, posted a moving tribute to her late NHL player husband following the South Jersey DUI crash that killed him and his brother, Matthew, this week. "Thank you for the best years of my life," Meredith said in an Instagram post.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Meredith Gaudreau (@meredithgaudreau_) Meredith graduated from JMU in Virginia and then earned her master's in pediatric nursing from Drexel University, her LinkedIn page shows. She works as a NIICU nurse at CHOP. "Despite losing you…
Matt Gaudreau Was Expecting Baby With Wife, Madeline, Campaign Says Matt Gaudreau Was Expecting Baby With Wife, Madeline, Campaign Says
Matt Gaudreau Was Expecting Baby With Wife, Madeline, Campaign Says The Gaudreau family had much to look forward to. Katie Gaudreau was set to marry Devin Joyce on Friday, Aug. 30. Johnny Gaudreau and his wife, Meredith, were weeks away from celebrating their daughter's second birthday. Matt Gaudreau and his wife, Madeline, were expecting a baby, according to a GoFundMe page launched for Madeline's future. ALSO SEE: Pregnant Gaudreau Widow Has Special Message For Sister-In-Law But the Gaudreau family's happy future was ripped away from them on Thursday, Aug. 29, when brothers Matt and Johnny were struck and killed by a DUI driver …
Two West Nile Virus-Related Deaths Among Six New Cases Reported In New Jersey Two West Nile Virus-Related Deaths Among Six New Cases Reported In New Jersey
Two West Nile Virus-Related Deaths Among Six New Cases Reported In New Jersey New Jersey health officials are reporting an additional six cases of West Nile Virus including two deaths, and two presumptive viremic blood donor (PVD) cases in the state.  The six new WNV cases are residents of Bergen, Camden, Cumberland, Hudson, Mercer, and Middlesex counties (one 50+, two 60+, one 70+, two 80+). The two individuals who died were older adults from Cumberland and Mercer counties, the DOH said. Two human cases of WNV were reported earlier this year in Middlesex and Union counties. Seven out of the eight cases were hospitalized with neuroinvasive disease, includi…
New Brunswick Pastor Charged With Sexually Assaulting Juvenile, Prosecutor Says New Brunswick Pastor Charged With Sexually Assaulting Juvenile, Prosecutor Says
New Brunswick Pastor Charged With Sexually Assaulting Juvenile, Prosecutor Says A 61-year-old pastor has been charged with sexually assaulting a juvenile in Middlesex County, authorities said. Roby D. Cruz-Hernandez, a pastor at Iglesia Pentecostal El Mesias in New Brunswick, was arrested without incident at his home in Somerset, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and New Brunswick Police Chief Vincent Sabo said. Cruz-Hernandez was charged with second-degree sexual assault and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Castro of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit at 732-7…
Possibility Of Life-Threatening Reactions Prompts Recall Of NJ Company's Golden Raisins Possibility Of Life-Threatening Reactions Prompts Recall Of NJ Company's Golden Raisins
Possibility Of Life-Threatening Reactions Prompts Recall Of NJ Company's Golden Raisins Golden raisins produced by a New Jersey-based company have been recalled due to undeclared sulfites that federal officials say could be life-threatening to those with allergies. Sunco & Frenchie LLC of Pine Brook is recalling its 10oz Terrafina Golden Raisins.  "People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to sulfites run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products," reads the recall posted to the FDA website. No illnesses have been reported to date. Terrafina Golden Raisins were distributed in New York through retail stores by…
Woman Charged With Selling $18M In Bogus Coupons Downloaded In NJ: Feds Woman Charged With Selling $18M In Bogus Coupons Downloaded In NJ: Feds
Woman Charged With Selling $18M In Bogus Coupons Downloaded In NJ: Feds A San Antonio, TX, woman was arrested and charged with selling more than $18 million worth of counterfeit coupons used at various retail stores across the United States — including New Jersey — for the purchase of household items, federal officials said. From June 2020 through June 2024, Janet Bernal — who goes by the names Rocky, Rocky G, Rocky Gee, and RockyG-Kruella — orchestrated a scheme to produce and sell fraudulent, counterfeit coupons for use by purchasers at retail stores throughout the United States, including large pharmacies and grocery stores, U.S. Attorney Philip R. …
Whooping Cough Cases Just Tripled In NJ, Health Department Says Whooping Cough Cases Just Tripled In NJ, Health Department Says
Whooping Cough Cases Just Tripled In NJ, Health Department Says The New Jersey Health Department has issued an advisory due to an increase in whooping cough cases across both the United States and New Jersey. Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by bacteria that live in the mouth, nose, and throat of an infected person, the NJDOH said.  Preliminary data show case numbers have tripled as of early August in the U.S., compared to the same time in 2023, which is higher than what was seen at the same time in 2019, prior to the pandemic. New Jersey is experiencing a similar increase in pertussis cases, the …
Teen Killed In Boating Accident Was Rising Rutgers Freshman Teen Killed In Boating Accident Was Rising Rutgers Freshman
Teen Killed In Boating Accident Was Rising Rutgers Freshman More information has come to light about the 18-year-old Wayne resident killed in a boating accident over the weekend in Harvey Cedars. Zeina Mahafzah was days away from beginning her freshman year at Rutgers University, as classes start on Tuesday, Sept. 2. According to university spokeswoman Dory Devlin, Zeina was enrolled in the School of Arts and Sciences–Newark. "The Rutgers-Newark community is devastated by the news of Zeina’s passing, and we are sending our support to the Mahafzah family during this incredibly difficult time," Devlin said. In a post shared to Faceboo…
19 NJ Retailers Fined $4,500 For Selling Illegal Flavored Vape Products, AG Says 19 NJ Retailers Fined $4,500 For Selling Illegal Flavored Vape Products, AG Says
19 NJ Retailers Fined $4,500 For Selling Illegal Flavored Vape Products, AG Says Nineteen retailers across New Jersey are facing $4,500 after an investigation found they'd been selling flavored vape products banned in the Garden State, the NJ Attorney General's Office said. All 19 stores were issued a Notice of Violation after they were found to have violated the state's consumer protection laws, AG Matthew Platkin said. The enforcement actions are the result of a Division investigation into unlawful sales of flavored electronic smoking devices and products, including mint, candy, fruit, and chocolate flavors, Platkin said.  The Division launched its investigation…
Central Jersey Couple Admits To Lying On Asylum Applications For Sri Lankans Central Jersey Couple Admits To Lying On Asylum Applications For Sri Lankans
Central Jersey Couple Admits To Lying On Asylum Applications For Sri Lankans A Lawrence Township couple admitted to submitting fraudulent asylum applications for clients from Sri Lanka, authorities said. Zuwairul Ameer, 61, and Claudette Ameer, 63, pleaded guilty on Monday, Aug. 26 to conspiracy to commit immigration fraud, New Jersey's U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a news release. They were indicted in the immigration fraud case on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023. According to court documents and statements, Zuwairul Ameer, also known as "Zuwairul Thowfeek," submitted false asylum applications for non-citizen clients since at least 2007. Claudette Am…
Michele Rhodes, 55, ID'd As Woman Who Died At Elizabethtown Fair: Coroner Michele Rhodes, 55, ID'd As Woman Who Died At Elizabethtown Fair: Coroner
Michele Rhodes, 55, ID'd As Woman Who Died At Elizabethtown Fair: Coroner The woman who died following a "medical emergency" at the Elizabethtown Fair on Tuesday, August 20 has been identified by the Lancaster County Coroner's Office.  Michele Rhodes, 55, of Akron, PA, and originally from Mount Holly, NJ, choked to death at the Elizabethtown Fair, Chief Deputy Coroner Eric Bieber explained and as detailed in her obituary posted by Roseboro Stradling Funeral and Cremation Services, Inc., Denver.  Police officers were eating lunch at the fair located at 900 East High Street in Elizabethtown Borough when the incident began at 12:55 p.m. Aug. 20, as Da…
Barbed Fish Injures Jersey Shore Swimmer: Beach Patrol Barbed Fish Injures Jersey Shore Swimmer: Beach Patrol
Barbed Fish Injures Jersey Shore Swimmer: Beach Patrol A man was injured by what appeared to be a ray's tail at a beach in Ventnor City, officials said. The man suffered a hand injury at around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 25, the Ventnor City Beach Patrol said. He received first-aid treatment at the scene. The injury was not confirmed to be from a shark bite and was likely caused by a skate, which is a type of ray with barbs on its tail. "We’ve noticed an increase in marine activity of all kinds in the area which is normal for late summer warm water," the beach patrol said. "As a precaution, we restricted swimming at nearby beaches to ankle…
Police ID Teen Killed By Boat Propellor In NJ Waters (DETAILS) Police ID Teen Killed By Boat Propellor In NJ Waters (DETAILS)
Police ID Teen Killed By Boat Propellor In NJ Waters (Details) Police have identified the victim killed by a boat propellor over the weekend at a New Jersey beach. Zeina Mahafzah, of Wayne, was on a raft being pulled by a boat in the waters of Sunset Park in Harvey Cedars when she was struck by the vessel's propellor on Sunday, Aug. 25 around 4:30 p.m., New Jersey State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron said. Mahafzah, who had been trying to board the boat, died. NBC Philadelphia previously reported the scene was a gory one, as Mahafzah had been "dismembered." Mahafzah died as a result of the accident.
NJ Online Slots Player Wins $6.45M Progressive Jackpot In U.S. Record-Setting Prize NJ Online Slots Player Wins $6.45M Progressive Jackpot In U.S. Record-Setting Prize
NJ Online Slots Player Wins $6.45M Progressive Jackpot In U.S. Record-Setting Prize An online gambler from New Jersey won the largest jackpot in U.S. online casino history, officials said. A BetMGM Casino player won a $6,450,023 progressive jackpot, the gambling company said in a news release on Wednesday, Aug. 21. The winner won when placing a $200 bet while playing the slot machine game Fruit Blaster, which bases wins on matching symbols like oranges, cherries, lemons, and plums. The record-setting prize was part of "The Big One," which is BetMGM's pool from its exclusive in-house games. "BetMGM and one lucky player made iGaming history," said BetMGM CEO Adam …
Powerful NYC Attorney, Wife Missing After Luxury Yacht Capsizes Off Coast Of Italy: Reports Powerful NYC Attorney, Wife Missing After Luxury Yacht Capsizes Off Coast Of Italy: Reports
Powerful NYC Attorney, Wife Missing After Luxury Yacht Capsizes Off Coast Of Italy: Reports A New York attorney with Connecticut roots and his wife are among seven people missing after the yacht they were on capsized early this week in Italy, according to multiple reports. Christopher Morvillo, age 59, who attended the Canterbury School in Litchfield County, Connecticut, and later Fordham University, along with his wife, Neda Morvillo, age 57, are among six people who are unaccounted after the 184-foot luxury yacht overturned off the coast of Sicily on Monday morning, Aug. 19, according to ABC 7. Twenty-two people were on board the ship at the time of the incident near Palermo, ac…
NJ Director's Hit Film Rakes In $8M In 15-Year Anniversary Release NJ Director's Hit Film Rakes In $8M In 15-Year Anniversary Release
NJ Director's Hit Film Rakes In $8M In 15-Year Anniversary Release A New Jersey director's movie was one of the big winners at the box office last weekend, despite being 15 years old. A re-release of "Coraline", directed by Glen Cove native Henry Selick, who later lived in Rumson, finished in 5th place at the box office, earning $8.63 million over the weekend on 1,603 screens, breaking its previous record for a Fathom Events movie, after earning $7 million in a re-release last year, according to Deadline "Coraline" was released to critical acclaim in 2009. The movie, which stars Dakota Fanning as the voice of the titular character, made $75.3 million at th…
Edison Man, 45, Found Dead Floating In River In East Brunswick Identified: State Police Edison Man, 45, Found Dead Floating In River In East Brunswick Identified: State Police
Edison Man, 45, Found Dead Floating In River In East Brunswick Identified: State Police Troopers have identified the Edison man who was found dead in a river in East Brunswick. The body of 45-year-old Reynaldo Salcedo-Tavarez was discovered near where the Raritan and South rivers meet on Thursday, Aug. 8, a state police spokesperson said on Monday, Aug. 19. Marine troopers responded to the report of a person in the water at around 7:42 a.m. Salcedo-Tavarez's body was seen floating and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Salcedo-Tavarez's death remained under investigation and no other information was available.