Woman killed in murder-suicide had complained of harassment, Morris Plains mayor says

MORRIS PLAINS — The Morris County Prosecutor's Office has identified the people who died in an apparent murder-suicide shooting Saturday morning.

Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp said on Monday night that Laurel R. Chasmar, 28, of Morris Plains was killed by 32-year-old Hassan Shahid of Jersey City. Knapp said Chasmar died of "gunshot wounds inflicted upon her." Shahid death was ruled a suicide by gunshot.

Knapp didn't say if both lived at the home where the shooting took place, or what if any relationship the two had to each other. But the Daily Record quoted Mayor Frank Druetzler saying the two used to date, and had worked together at Novartis. Druetzler told the paper Chasmar had complained of harassment by Shahid, and said he'd been "lying in wait" for her to come home Saturday.

When police responded to The Highlands at Morris Plains on Saturday morning they found Chasmar's body while Knapp said Shahid's body was found later in the day in Morris Township.

A resident of the apartment building told the Daily Record earlier that he awoke to screams and what sounded like gunfire on Saturday. Police remained on the scene through the morning.

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Previous reporting by Dan Alexander was used in this report

Contact reporter Adam Hochron at 609-359-5326 or Adam.Hochron@townsquaremedia.com