🔺 NJ woman dies of drug overdose
🔺 Sister now charged with murder
🔺 Police say sibling killing was planned


A South Jersey woman has been accused of murdering her own sister by injecting the 21-year-old with a deadly amount of heroin and fentanyl.

Sarah Errickson, of Millville, was arrested on Jan. 24 and charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy in the killing of Emily Cruddas two years ago.

On Monday, a Superior Court judge ordered that Errickson, a mother of four, remain in custody until her trial.

“This was a cold, calculated, deliberate murder of a family member fueled by revenge,” Assistant Cape May County Prosecutor Edward Shim said in court on Monday, NJ.com reported.

Petersburg, Woodbine NJ (Google Maps)
Petersburg, Woodbine NJ (Google Maps)
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Motivation for sister's killing

Shim said the alleged motive appeared to be greed, over “the house and money.”

The four-bedroom home in Woodbine formerly owned by Christine Cruddas was left to both of her daughters upon her death in 2020.

After Emily Cruddas’ death in 2023, the house at 17 East Sunrise Road sold for $325,000.

Errickson then dealt with legal challenges from Cruddas’ father, before ultimately being awarded all the proceeds from the house’s sale last year.

An ex-boyfriend of Errickson was among those interviewed by investigators.

He said that the defendant appeared to blame Cruddas for some time when Errickson lost custody of her children, the Press of Atlantic City reported.

Emily Cruddas (GoFundMe campaign via Jennifer Merrifield)
Emily Cruddas (GoFundMe campaign via Jennifer Merrifield)
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Fiance of victim came forward

When Cruddas died of a drug overdose in February 2023, it was initially ruled a suicide.

Just a month after Cruddas’ death, her one-time fiance, Joseph Ragan reportedly told police that Errickson had planned out the killing with his participation.

Ragan said he was there as Errickson gave Cruddas Xanax painkillers before “using a hypodermic needle to inject 10 to 12 bags of heroin and fentanyl” into her left hand, Press of Atlantic City reported, citing an affidavit of probable cause for Errickson.

In May 2023, Cruddas' cause of death was amended to “undetermined,” as the investigation progressed, 6ABC Action News reported.

Sarah Errickson (Sarah Errickson via Facebook)
Sarah Errickson (Sarah Errickson via Facebook)
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In April 2024, an individual gave police a bag that contained 15 wax folds of the same suspected heroin connected with Cruddas' death, along with other evidence, Breaking AC reported.

While charges were filed against Errickson, Ragan was also charged with murder.

The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania resident remained a fugitive on Tuesday.

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