MAYS LANDING – A Philadelphia woman has pleaded guilty today to the stabbing murders last year of two Canadian women visiting Atlantic City, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain announced today.
Antoinette Pelzer, now 45, of West Huntington Park, Philadelphia, pleaded guilty to two counts of 1st degree murder for the killings in Atlantic City, New Jersey, of Po Lin Wan, 80, and Wan’s daughter, Alice Mei See Leung, 47, both from Scarborough, Ontario.
On May 21, 2012, on a visit to Atlantic City, the victims were walking down the 1900 block of Pacific Avenue at approximately 10 a.m. when they were approached by Pelzer. Pelzer attempted to rob the women at knifepoint, then stabbed both women multiple times with a 12-inch butcher knife.
An Atlantic City Police Officer on routine patrol happened upon the in-progress attack, ordered Pelzer to drop her weapon, took Pelzer into custody, and called for emergency medical assistance. The victims were transported to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, where they later succumbed to their injuries.
Ms. Leung suffered stab wounds to her upper body and died of multiple sharp force injuries and cardiac puncture, according to autopsy reports. Ms. Wan was stabbed in the lower body, hand and shoulder while trying to protect her daughter. Ms. Wan died of multiple sharp force injuries with exsanguination.
This afternoon Antoinette Pelzer pleaded guilty to both murders before Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Mark Sandson, and is scheduled for sentencing on October 24, 2013.
Assistant Prosecutor Seth Levy represented the State in the case.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Pelzer may be sentenced to the maximum terms allowed by law, including the imposition of consecutive sentences. She therefore faces a maximum sentence of two consecutive life terms of imprisonment, of which she may be required to serve 60 years before becoming eligible for parole.
Anyone with information involving serious crimes is asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-909-7800 or go to the Prosecutor’s Office Web site at http://www.acpo.org/tips.html and provide information by filling out the form anonymously on the Submit a Tip page. People can also call Crime Stoppers at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS) or visit the Crime Stoppers Website at http://www.crimestoppersatlantic.com/. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those who commit crimes in Atlantic County.
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