Second New Jersey Council Member Shot Dead in Car, Reportedly Unrelated

In what appears to be an unrelated killing, a second New Jersey Council Member was shot dead in their car Wednesday. This comes about a week after the murder of Republican New Jersey Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour.

Russell Heller, 51, was found in the Somerset parking lot of PSE&G an energy company where the Councilman worked. He had apparently been shot in the head.

Police determined the suspect to be Gary Curtis, 58, a former employee. When the police located Curtis three and half hours later, he was dead in his car by an apparent self-inflicted gunshot.

PSE&G issued a statement on Heller’s death:

“We are heartbroken at the tragic death of Russell Heller, senior disruption supervisor at PSE&G. Russell was an admired employee and supervisor with over 11 years of service with PSE&G. He will be sorely missed by all, and our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time. This event is tragic and disturbing, and we are offering support to our employees as they process this. We are cooperating with law enforcement with respect to their investigation.”

pic.twitter.com/7wmxHvw1tR

— PSE&G (@PSEGdelivers) February 8, 2023

His murder came exactly a week after Dwumfour, who was a Republican just like Heller, was gunned down inside an SUV outside her home. This murder was just 15 miles away.

Both murders are still being investigated, however, it seems that they do not have a suspect in the murder of councilwoman Dwumfour. Currently, the murders are not being looked at as linked.