Fugitive dead: NJ dad was wanted for killing daughter, beating wife with bat

VOORHEES — A 57-year-old township man wanted in the brutal killing of his daughter and the beating of his wife was found dead after shooting himself, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

U.S. Marshals and Voorhees police had been searching for Gregory Kelemen since a 911 call from his house a day earlier.

Voorhees Township Police found his body around 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday in a wooded area near the 300 block of Preston Avenue, with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill Mayer.

He and his silver Toyota RAV4 both were not at his family's Round Hill Road residence when officers arrived after 7 a.m. Monday.

Katherine Kelemen, 22, was found badly beaten in her own bedroom and died shortly after, Mayer said.

Sheri Kelemen, Katherine's mother, was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

She remained in critical but stable condition as of Tuesday afternoon.

According to a probable cause statement, Sheri Kelemen told officers she was awakened by her husband, who was beating her with a baseball bat and saying “I can't take it anymore.” She told officers he kept the bat under their bed.

His employer said that Kelemen had called work after 10 a.m. Monday citing a family emergency and saying he would be late. He never showed up.

Potential information regarding the investigation can also be shared with the prosecutor’s office, directed to Homicide Unit Detective Kyrus Ingalls at 856-225-5105 or Voorhees Township Police Detective Justin Sims at 856-906-0411.

Recent deadly domestic violence

Just over a week ago in Gloucester County, a 42-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her husband before he drove off and then shot himself in a violent murder-suicide, Gloucester County authorities said.

Melissa Kolonich was found stabbed to death on Nov. 11, inside her family's home in the Franklinville section of Franklin Township, according to Acting Chief of Detectives Thomas Gilbert of the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office.

Her husband, 46-year-old John Kolonich, was found dead inside his vehicle in a nearby yard, from a gunshot wound to the head, Gilbert said.