Subscribe:

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Egg Harbor City Man Indicted for Murder and Arson in 2014 Killing

MAYS LANDING – An Egg Harbor City man was indicted today for murder and arson in connection with the 2014 killing in Egg Harbor City of the mother and child with whom he cohabited, Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain announced today.
This afternoon, an Atlantic County Grand Jury indicted Joseph F. Palmer 3rd, 39, of 214 Washington Avenue, Egg Harbor City for two counts of murder—crimes of the 1st degree, one count of aggravated arson—a 2nd degree crime, and two 3rd degree counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose (a knife, and a hammer or other blunt force instrument), for the murders of Michelle (Heist) Pabst, 38, and her son Gavin Pabst, age 7, both of whom lived with Palmer.

At 8:11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 12, 2014, Egg Harbor City Police and firefighters from the Egg Harbor City Volunteer Fire Department and the South Egg Harbor Volunteer Fire Company responded to a 9-1-1 report of a fire at 214 Washington Avenue, Egg Harbor City.
Joseph F. Palmer 3rd was found outside the residence. Palmer was treated for injuries and transported by AtlantiCare ambulance personnel and paramedics to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center—City Division.
The fire was extinguished, and the bodies of the two victims were discovered inside the home by emergency responders.
An autopsy performed on November 13, 2014 by Dr. Ian Hood of the New Jersey State Medical Examiner’s Office determined both deaths to be homicides, the cause of the mother’s death multiple sharp and blunt force injuries, and the cause of the child’s death multiple stab wounds.
On 12:30 p.m., on November 14, 2014, Detectives of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit arrested Palmer as he was being discharged from the hospital. Palmer was charged at the time with the two murders and aggravated arson, for setting fire to the residence in which lay the bodies of Michelle (Heist) Pabst and Gavin Pabst, with the purpose of destroying it.
The arrest was the result of an around-the-clock investigation by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office and Egg Harbor City Police Department, with assistance from the Mullica, Hamilton Township, and Atlantic City Police Departments, the Atlantic County Office of the Fire Marshal, and New Jersey State Arson K-9 Fire Investigation Unit.
Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Mark H. Sandson set bail at $2,000,000 full cash. Palmer was lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility in lieu of bail, where he remains, pending trial.
Due to statutory aggravating factors delineated in the indictment, a conviction for each of the two murder indictments carries a potential sentence of life without eligibility for parole in a maximum security New Jersey State prison. The 2nd degree aggravated arson charge carries a potential penalty of 5-10 years of imprisonment if convicted. The 3rd degree crimes carry a potential penalty of 3-5 years in prison.
Assistant Prosecutor John Flammer represents the State in the matter. 
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.

0 comments:

Post a Comment

 
Web Analytics