8 Years Later, Investigation of Morris County Teen's Murder at Rowan University Continues

By Anthony Bellano

The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office says a break in the nearly eight-year-old murder case of a Rowan University student could come from one of the people who may have been involved in the killing.

Donald Farrell III, of Boonton, was killed in a Homecoming Weekend assault on Oct. 27, 2007 near Rowan’s Triad Apartment building.

Witnesses described four or five black males who approached Farrell and asked for directions to a party. Farrell was then punched and kicked in the head and neck by one or two of the males before the group fled with his wallet.

Farrrell died the next day from a ruptured artery in the neck. He was 19.

One person in the group wore a distinctive Coogie hoodie that was identified on security camera video from a nearby convenience store. That video is attached to this post.

It is also believed that the hoodie-wearer used a nickname, “Smoke.”

“With so many people involved, they may not stay friends forever,” Lt. Langdon Sills, of the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, told a 2011 Rowan journalism class working on what they called the Donnie Farrell Project.

Sills was one of the original investigators of the case, and continues to look for leads in the homicide, believed to have been a random act and probably not about robbery.

Students researched and wrote articles about the Morris County sophomore lacrosse player’s life and death. Their work was posted onthedonnieproject.com.

A retired homicide detective the Farrell family asked to review the case agreed with Sills about partners in crime.

“You have multiple people involved. Time becomes your friend. The thing we have on our side is that relationships change,” James Gannon told the Rowan students. “Someone’s going to pick up the phone.”

A $100,000 reward is still being offered for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of those involved in the attack.

Anyone with information about participants in the attack that caused the death of Farrell is asked to phone the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office at 856-384-5604 or the Rowan University Police Department at 856-256-4564. To leave an anonymous tip, text GLOTIP & your message to CRIMES (274637).