MAYS LANDING – A Ventnor woman was convicted today of her husband’s murder after a six-year missing person investigation led to the 2013 discovery of the victim’s remains in the woman’s closet, Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain announced.
Today, March 17, 2015, after a four (4) day trial, an Atlantic County jury found Loretta Doyle Burroughs, 63, of the 300 Hampshire Drive, Ventnor, guilty of the stabbing death of her husband, Daniel Burroughs, 66, when they both lived on Leipzig Avenue in Hamilton Township, more than 7 years ago. The jury also found Doyle Burroughs guilty of the crime of hindering her own apprehension by concealing evidence of the crime.
Daniel Burroughs was reported missing to Hamilton Township Police in September 2007, when the couple lived in the Leipzig Avenue house, in Mays Landing.
Following her husband’s disappearance, Loretta Burroughs moved to a home on the 300 block of Hampshire Avenue in Ventnor. In May 2013 Burroughs was relocating to a residence on West Florida Avenue, in Villas, Cape May County.
On May 17, 2013, a joint investigation by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, the Hamilton Township Police Department, and the New Jersey State Police, culminated in the execution of two search warrants at the Ventnor and Cape May County homes. Assisting with the searches were the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Ventnor City and Lower Township Police Departments.
Inside the Ventnor residence the team found decomposing human remains inside several containers in a closet. The remains were later positively identified as Daniel Burroughs.
Loretta Burroughs was arrested the same day at the Cape May County residence and charged with murder for the fatal stabbing of her husband.
On Tuesday, April 8, 2014, an Atlantic County Grand Jury indicted Burroughs for murder, and hindering her own apprehension.
Today, before Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Michael A. Donio, the jury deliberated for two (2) hours before returning a guilty verdict on both charges.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seth Levy, who represented the State in the case, made a motion—and Judge Donio then ordered—that bail be revoked. Burroughs was lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility pending sentencing.
Judge Donio scheduled sentencing for April 22, 2015 at 9 a.m.
The murder conviction carries a potential sentence of life imprisonment in New Jersey State Prison with a minimum of 30 years without parole. Hindering Apprehension—a crime of the 3rd degree, carries a potential sentence of 3-5 years of incarceration.
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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