A family tragedy took place when a man fatally shot his sister before he died by suicide in an apparent murder-suicide outside of a New Jersey home.
The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office announced in a press release that Daniel Lopez shot his sister, Janet Camacho, and left her to die on the front steps of a home in Pennsauken, New Jersey, on the morning of Wednesday, September 16. After he killed his sister, he took his own life.
Police reported to the home after they received reports of shots being fired and that a man who was armed with a handgun around 9 a.m.
Upon their arrival, police found Camacho, 59, on the stoop after she sustained gunshot wounds. She was rushed to Cooper University Hospital for treatment, where she was ultimately declared dead.
Authorities established a perimeter around the home and escorted neighbors out of their residences to safety, according to WPVI.
Police deployed a robotic dog, who entered the home and located Lopez, 60, inside. Lopez was found dead about 90 minutes after police were initially called.
While officials confirmed that the incident was being investigated as a murder-suicide, they have not revealed if there was a motive in the killings.
WPVI obtained surveillance footage, which reportedly showed Camacho being shot. The footage then captured a man, who was believed to be Lopez, pacing outside of the home.
The tragedy has left the neighborhood in shock, and neighbor Michelle Jimenez told the outlet that Lopez had been a close family friend.
“We used to invite him a lot for family parties. He would always be our guest. He was really close to our family. He was always nice. He would bake stuff for me and my siblings,” Jimenez said. “It was just shocking to me. I didn’t believe it.”
Neighbor Ozzie Marrero said that violent acts were “so rare” in the area and that they don’t “happen here.”
“It’s unfortunate, and I’m sorry that the families have to deal with this,” Jabril Smitherman added.
The investigation into the case remains ongoing as police work to determine if there was a motive and what exactly happened that led to the murder-suicide.
Police have asked that anyone with information regarding the case contact Pennsauken police or the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
