FOLSOM — Fugitive Jeremiah Monell, wanted in his wife's murder, was spotted in a wooded area and taken into custody without incident, according to State Police.

At about 2:45 p.m. Monday, a witness contacted the New Jersey State Police Buena Vista Barracks after recognizing Monell in Folsom Borough, State Police said. The 32-year-old was captured off Route 322 in Folsom on Monday afternoon exactly two weeks after he allegedly killed his estranged wife Tara O'Shea-Sullivan in their Lawrence home.

Jeremiah Monell
Jeremiah Monell (NJ State Police)
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State Police said officers from the Buena Vista barracks arrested Monell and took him to a hospital for a medical evaluation before taking him to prison.

The Press of Atlantic City reported police were talking to employees of Angelo's Pizza in Liberty Square Center.

Jen Messeck, a friend of O’Shea’s, was in tears when told of Monell’s arrest.

“They caught him,” Messick told New Jersey 101.5.

In a post on Facebook she wrote "We are extremely grateful for the hard work and dedication of the NJSP and everyone that helped catch Monell. We pray for justice in this case and Tara's story to live on! We want to see the laws fixed so this does not happen again."

Monell has been charged with murder and related weapons possession with bail set at $1 million.

O’Shea-Watson has three children — two of them, 12 and 3 years old, with Monell. Her other children are 15, 16 and 18 years old.

Monell had been served with divorce papers on the day police say he killed her. Friends have said Monell slit his wife's throat in front of one of their children, but police have not confirmed that account.

Police had found Monell's blue Chevrolet pickup truck in Cedarville not far from his home in the Laurel Lake section of Lawrence in Cumberland County but trail seemingly went cold despite an intense air and ground search.

State Police posted a $1,000 reward for information leading to his arrest while the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office offered a $2,500 reward.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

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