Prosecutor: NJ State Police Sergeant identified as suspect in Hunterdon County double homicide
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Hunterdon County) — Authorities have identified the suspect in a double homicide that occurred in the Pittstown section of Franklin Township as a New Jersey State Police sergeant who later died by suicide.
Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée Robeson and Chief of Detectives Timothy Drew on Monday announced new developments in the investigation into the Aug. 2 killings of Lauren Semanchik, 33, of Pittstown, who worked at Long Valley Animal Hospital, and Tyler Webb, 29, of Forked River, a firefighter with the Pinewald Pioneer Fire Company.
At approximately 12:22 p.m. that day, Franklin Township police responded to a 911 call reporting an unconscious woman with apparent physical trauma at a residence on Upper Kingtown Road. Officers arrived to find two individuals deceased from apparent gunshot wounds from a semiautomatic firearm. Authorities said the shooting was a “targeted act.”
The victims were later identified as Semanchik and Webb, who had recently begun dating her.
Investigators determined that Semanchik had previously been in a relationship with Ricardo Jorge Santos, a sergeant first class with the New Jersey State Police. After their breakup in approximately September 2024, Semanchik had reported ongoing harassment and controlling behavior by Santos, officials said.
“As a result, it appeared to detectives that Santos may have been involved in the homicides,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
While pursuing this lead, detectives were notified that Santos was found deceased inside a white 2008 Mercedes SUV at Johnson Park in Piscataway, Middlesex County. A semiautomatic handgun was discovered in the vehicle, and the Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office preliminarily determined the cause of death to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Further investigation uncovered that Santos’ vehicle had traveled from Pittstown to Piscataway later in the evening of the murders. Detectives also reviewed footage from a video surveillance system installed in Semanchik’s vehicle.
The footage showed Semanchik leaving her workplace in Long Valley, Morris County, at approximately 5:25 p.m. on Aug. 1. A white 2008 Mercedes SUV—matching the vehicle where Santos was later found—was seen closely following her from the parking lot to her residence, arriving at around 5:57 p.m.
At approximately 6:11 p.m., while Semanchik’s vehicle was parked, surveillance footage captured a person walking surreptitiously through the wooded area along the driveway leading to the residence. Webb’s vehicle arrived and parked next to hers at approximately 6:45 p.m., officials said.
Detectives had previously responded to 911 calls reporting gunshots and screaming in the area on the evening of Aug. 1 at around 7:08 p.m. A search by Franklin Township police did not uncover the source of the noise at the time.
“This case continues to be under active investigation by the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, and nothing suggests any danger to the public,” officials said.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of Dr. Lauren Semanchik and Tyler Webb, whose lives were tragically taken in an act of domestic violence. This senseless and devastating loss has deeply affected our entire community,” Robeson said. “Considering the suspect’s subsequent suicide, we recognize that many questions remain, and healing will take time. While justice in the legal sense may not proceed, our commitment to supporting survivors and preventing future tragedies remains unwavering.”
“We urge anyone experiencing threats, harassment, or abuse to seek help and know they are not alone. Resources are available, and there is strength in reaching out. Together, we will continue to work toward a safer future for all,” Robeson said.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Detective Sergeant David Petelle or Detective Quayshaun Brooks at the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office at (908) 788-1129. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the Hunterdon County Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 1-800-321-0010. All tips will be kept confidential.
