Family Slaying In Morris Co. Brings Domestic Violence Deaths To 10

MORRIS COUNTY — Seven women and three children in New Jersey now have been killed in what authorities have indicated were seven different acts of domestic violence in the first 10 weeks of 2023 — and those are just the cases that officials have publicly confirmed.

The most recent story involves a woman (who was a preschool teacher) and her teenager son in Roxbury were killed by the father, authorities have said.

After Peter Ventricelli, 57, his wife Kellie, 58, and his son Anthony, 15, were found dead last week, Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll said, "This is a tragic murder-suicide brought on by domestic violence."

The first four intimate partner deaths this year occurred in one county — Hudson County — including the separate deaths of two Jersey City teachers by a male partner.

Then, on Feb. 12, mother-of-two Stephanie Vil was shot to death in Trenton. The man charged with murder was the father of her 3-month-old daughter, who was in a car nearby, the police complaint says.

On Sunday, Feb. 19, a family including two teenagers was killed in Linden in what authorities said was a murder-suicide committed by the father. His wife and two children were killed.

On Feb. 28, Kyle Foggy died at a New Jersey rest stop, days after he was charged with the murder of a Lawnside woman, according to officials. NJ.com reported that court documents detailed a history of domestic violence, but this has not been confirmed by law enforcement yet, and is not included in the above numbers.

That brings the total to seven New Jersey women and three children killed by domestic violence in New Jersey in the first 10 weeks of 2023. See how that compares with past years in this story.

Advocates in North Jersey recently encouraged people in potentially unsafe situations to reach out to a domestic violence group for a risk assessment or make a plan, even if they're not ready to leave yet.

There Is Hope

While law enforcement officials said there is "no danger to the public" after the latest tragedy, a discussion of available resources and programs may help prevent future tragedies.

Julye Myner, the director for the Center for Hope and Safety — based in Bergen County — stressed that people can call a domestic violence hotline even if they're not ready to leave, or if they have concerns about a friend or family member. (If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or emergency
responders.) Phone numbers are below.

Myner said recently, "We want to communicate to the community, we're not just a safe house. We can help you stay safe if you choose not to leave yet. We're really trying to remove the myth that we're just a shelter."

Myner said two weeks ago that her Bergen Counter group was already sheltering 170 people, more than half of them children. She said that the average until recent years was 33 people on any given day.

"It’s already been a tough year with two terrible homicides via domestic violence in Jersey City," said Steven Fulop, the mayor of Jersey City, on Feb. 11, after two teachers had been shot by intimate partners in separate incidents. "We’re the only municipality in NJ that offers a free domestic violence program for offenders. It’s is called the Peaceful Families program."

Addressing It Nationally

Several high-profile domestic violence murder-suicide cases have been reported across the country in 2023, including a mass shooting of a family in Utah and more recently, a slaying of four people Friday in Miami Lakes, Fla.

Some experts have suggested programs to address a culture of violence before, rather than after, a crime happens.

The CDC recommends an extensive package of programs to address potential domestic violence early on — including programs to teach people about respect in relationships from a young age, and a program in the military to reduce the stigma of counseling.

In America, two to three women per day are killed in domestic violence incidents, according to federal statistics. But a daily check of news reports on the incidents often turns up higher numbers, as the relationship between perpetrator and victim is not often released after the murder, as in the recent case involving Kyle Foggy and victim Michele Cruz.

One Suspect Still At Large

Last week, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office charged a second man, Leiner Miranda Lopez, with murder in the shooting death of teacher Luz Hernandez in Jersey City. They had already charged estranged husband Cesar Santana, but Lopez is still at large.

Where To Get Help

The national domestic violence hotline, reachable through phone, text, or chat, is 800-799-SAFE (7233), or you can text "Start" to 88788 to reach them by text.

The New Jersey hotline is 1-800-572-SAFE (7233). The list of county agencies is here, and other information on how to protect oneself legally in New Jersey is here.

In an emergency, call 911 or emergency responders.

An advocacy group in Essex County is seeking volunteers for its court advocacy program, to assist and support victims. READ MORE: Essex County Volunteers Needed For Domestic Violence Court Program

This post contains reporting by Caren Lissner.